To Everything, There is A Season
by HonoluluGal
Summary: A life-changing experience has Steve revaluating his priorities.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is pure McDanno bromance: a family-type story. No slash, no girlfriends unless you consider Rachel as such. This story is a testament to their enduring friendship.**_

_**Emotional and physical Steve whump with lots of Danny angst. A story based on an actual event that occurred in my family. Writing about it was good therapy and it may be the reason why it's taken me so long to write it. Hopefully this time there'll be a happy ending.**_

_**I'm in no way a doctor and therefore I haven't elaborated on the medical terminology. I'm writing from memory and did a bit of research to fill in the blanks.**_

_**Warning: The topic may be of a sensitive nature to some readers. Proceed at your own discretion. **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0 or its characters nor am I affiliated with the show.**_

_**_**Set in season two.**_**_

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

Five-0 was working out the last details of a case involving a notorious jewel thief, one known for giving all the top intelligence agencies the slip. When a report of an outbreak of jewel heists on the island had reached his desk, Governor Denning assigned the case to his task force with the hopes that they could put an end to this endless hunt.

Danny was unusually early to work that morning. He had been a happy lark ever since he and Rachel had rekindled their romance shortly following her split with husband Stan Edwards over her pregnancy and the questionable paternity of the baby among other irreconcilable issues. Once the prenatal paternity test had conclusively determined that Danny was the father, Stan readily consented to a divorce. Danny had been her emotional pillar throughout the proceedings.

He sprightly took the steps two at the time up to the Five-0 offices where he found Steve at the smart table, massaging his left knee.

"Hey, you all right?" Danny asked with mild concern.

"Yeah," Steve hissed slightly. He gave his left knee a last rub before standing up straight. "An old injury that's acting up."

"Hum, must be the weather. All this sweltering heat is gnawing at your joints."

"That's a first for you. You usually don't start griping about Hawaii until at least ten in the morning."

"Yeah, that's when I'm fully alert and aware of what's ahead, which is another day under the scorching hot sun in this pineapple-infested island chasing after criminals that oftentimes give us the slip, like this jewel thief."

"Yeah, well, I think we'll catch a break this time. Duke is setting up a trap where we have on good authority that," he let out a yawn, "he'll strike next."

"Oh! Rough night?"

"Kinda. I didn't get much sleep. Kept tossing and turning," Steve said yawningly. He ran a hand across his face and stretched out his jaw to wipe off the increasing drowsiness.

"I on the other hand slept like a baby," Danny gloated.

"Yeah and we all know why," Steve scoffed. "So how are the divorce proceedings coming along?"

"Very well. Thankfully Stan isn't contesting the grounds of the divorce nor is he giving Rachel a hard time over their possessions. She keeps what's hers and he keeps what's his. He's agreed to sign the final decree and hopefully it'll all be over with soon."

"That's good. That's less tension to deal with."

"Yeah and since he knows that I'm the father of that baby, he can't fight for custody either."

A friendly smile crossed Steve's lips at Danny's win on all fronts. "Again congratulations, Danny. I'm happy for you. I always knew you two would eventually hook up again."

Danny gave a friendly tap on Steve's shoulder. "Thanks, babe."

Chin exited his office and walked toward the pair. "The trap is set, Steve. The merchandise will be delivered to the Black Pearls jewelry shop on Kalia Road tonight after closing time. Duke will have two officers posted around the premises."

"If Danny's hunch is right and there's a mole inside HPD, we'll nail him good this time."

"So how long is this stakeout going to last?" Danny asked.

"As long as it takes," Steve replied rather curtly.

Danny fashioned a sarcastic grin."Hum, ask a stupid question..."

"All right, let's go see Duke to lay out the plan of action."

"Let's stop on the way to stock up on bottles of water and powerbars in case it turns out to be a long night."

"Fine." No sooner had Steve taken the lead toward the exit that his knees buckled. Danny was quick to grab a hold of his arm to steady him.

"Hey! You okay?"

"Yeah," Steve hissed. He bent over to rub the aching joints before dismissing the incident with a wave of the hand. "Yeah, let's go."

The pallor of his partner's skin gave Danny reason for concern, and therefore decided to follow close on his heels. Steve had been plagued by increasing bouts of insomnia lately and Danny had come to wonder if the disorder was stress-related and solely due to the case at hand or that a deeper sinister ailment was lurking beneath.

**_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_**

Later that afternoon once the trap was set and the phoney gems had been delivered to the store, Steve and Danny geared up for their night stakeout at the jewelry shop.

Danny kept a watchful eye on his partner behind the wheel as signs of dozing off became apparent.

"Why don't I take the wheel for the rest of the way?" Danny offered. "You look like you're about to conk out."

Steve threw his head back, widened his eyes and stretched out his jaw. "No, I'm good. We're just minutes away now."

"You know if Samson knows it's a ploy and that the merchandise is counterfeit, he won't bother showing up."

"No one but us four, Duke and the two officers posing as the armored truck security guards are in on the scheme. If Samson doesn't bite that will narrow down our list of possible suspects, won't it?"

"Samson may already be on site sizing up the area. He's seen both our faces. If he spots us there he'll know it's an ambush and turn back."

"We won't show ourselves. I'll park the car somewhere inconspicuous and we'll walk the rest of the way to the shed out back and stay out of sight until he makes his move." He pointed to the jewelry store a few yards ahead. "There we are."

Steve made a turn right and parked the Camaro alongside the curb. They stepped out, checked their weapons and donned a Kevlar vest before heading down an untrodden path leading to a small shed in the back of the jewelry store, with Danny wielding a plastic bag containing the food and water provisions.

Once he and Danny were safely hidden, Steve peeked through a tiny crack in the wood through which he had a clear view of the back entrance. He then spoke in his earpiece. "Duke? Yeah, Danny and me are in the shed. Where are you and your men posted?"

"In a blue van parked across the street in the apartment building lot. It's inconspicuous among the other vehicles."

"That's good. Let it be clear that I give the signal. I want to catch him in the act."

"You got it."

"Kono and Chin are also both in position, Steve," Danny informed after checking with the cousins through his own Bluetooth.

"Good. He's got to show up. The last two stores he's hit followed a sizable delivery of valuable merchandise that only HPD knew about."

Steve was not known for his patience. Barely fifteen minutes into the stakeout that he started showing signs of edginess. He ran a hand across his face and huffed out in frustration. "Come on! Come on! Make your move you sonavubitch!"

Danny first gave his partner an amused sidelong glance, after which a deep crease appeared in his brow upon noting beads of perspiration on his forehead. However his concern dispelled some, as he attributed the sweat to the unusual sweltering hot night and Steve's anxiety ratcheting up a few notches.

"Steve? Are you there?" Duke asked through Steve's earpiece.

"Yeah? Any movement in front?"

"Negative."

"Danny thinks that Samson's mole might have tipped him off that the loot was counterfeit."

"If so then it'll have to be one of us three." Duke threw his two officers a suspicious glare. "No one else is in on that undercover operation. Let's give him a few more minutes. He probably wants to ensure the coast is clear."

Once the communication broke, Steve snarled to Danny "We've got to catch that bastard."

"It won't be the first time that he's eluded the authorities. He's a pro and very shrewd."

"I can smell him, taunting us." Steve said with his fists clenching and unclenching, nails digging into his palms. "I will not have him get away a third time. Not on my turf."

Danny reached a hand out to Steve and gave his shoulder an encouraging pat. "We'll get him one way or the other."

A tense forty minutes passed with Steve's patience reaching its boiling point. Suddenly, his Bluetooth crackled to life. "Steve, we have movement on the side of the store."

"What is it?"

"A dark van, can't make out the license plate from here. It's driving out back. It should be in your line of view right about now."

Steve spotted the van with one eye through the crack "Yeah, yeah I see it," he said with anticipation mounting.

Danny stepped up to Steve and found a tiny opening through the wood. He squinted to make out the man's features, though a bit murky in the dusky light. "That's him all right. He can't be alone."

They studied the burglar's demeanor. He was dressed in a maintenance man uniform, complete with cap and working gloves. He gave one quick sweep of the area before picking up his tool box and heading inside by easily picking the door lock."

"He's inside guys. Looks like a lone job. Danny and me are going in."

"Steve, wait. We'll cover you," Duke said.

"No Duke, keep your eyes out front. Chin? Kono?

"Right here, boss," Kono answered from inside the mobile electronic lab parked down the street.

"We'll stick a tracking device underneath his van, just in case we should lose him."

"I'm on it."

With gun at the ready, our two partners stealthily crept inside the store through the back door. Proceeding circumspectly, they scanned the place before making their way down to the basement.

"He disabled the security system and CCTVs," Steve observed. He pointed to one camera in particular with the green dot off.

With their backs plastered against the wall and gun pointing upwards they sidled up to the open vault.

"Must have had the combination of the safe to open that door so quickly," Danny wondered in a whispering voice.

Steve put his finger to his lips to shush him and poised himself ready to surprise the thief. "Ready?"

"Ready."

Inside the vault, Samson cursed his bad luck at the phony merchandise.

"What's the matter? They're not to your liking?" Danny quipped cynically with his weapon drawn.

"Five-0. It's over, Samson. Get your hands up and lace your fingers behind your head," Steve ordered with his gun thrust at the thief.

"This was a set-up," Samson gnarled.

"Gee, you think?" Danny smirked.

"Who was it that tipped you off about the shipping?" Steve asked.

"I know my rights. You don't have anything on me."

"For starters we caught you with your hand in the cookie jar. Counterfeit maybe but still incriminating. Then there's the charge of breaking and entering and I'm sure we can add a few more criminal offenses to the list."

Steve aired a satisfied smug and turned to Danny. "Book him, Danno."

"With pleasure." Danny stowed his weapon and grabbed his handcuffs. "Nice and easy, now." As he closed in to slap the cuffs on Samson's wrists, he caught sight of Steve swaying slightly. "Hey Steve, you al..." The distraction was enough for Samson to grab a wrench from the tool box and smash it against Danny's head, making him yelped in pain and drop the cuffs.

Samson took to his heels, thrusting both men aside on his way out the vault.

"I'll get him!" Steve bounced back from his bout with vertigo and sprinted after Samson. Halfway up the stairs, his left knee buckled. Samson seized the moment to kick his pursuer in the gut, momentarily debilitating him.

"Hey, you okay?" Danny asked worriedly.

"Yeah, go go go! Don't lose him!" Steve gasped out.

Steve staggered to his feet, still breathless. He tried climbing up the rest of the stairs but found that the little run-in had weakened him to the point where he had to take a small breather to recuperate. Why was it taking him so long to bounce back?


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thank you so much for your responses to my story. I truly appreciate it. It keeps me going. ** _

Late evening at the Palace, so engrossed was Steve in his laptop that he didn't see his partner enter his office to come stand before his desk. Danny patiently waited for Steve to acknowledge his presence.

"Yes, I know you're here, Danny," Steve said annoyingly without looking up from the computer screen.

"For a second there I thought I was invisible."

"You may not be that tall but you take up space."

"Is that a cheap shot about my weight?" Danny feigned umbrage.

"Well you have been overindulging on the malasadas lately," Steve quipped, still with his nose buried in his laptop.

"It's your fault for bringing them to work every morning."

"I knew you'd somehow find a way to turn this against me." Steve finally lifted his eyes up and stared at the gauze on Danny's forehead. "How's the head?"

"I should be asking you that question. What happened back there?"

"You were there. We got Samson."

"Yes we did but we nearly lost him because of that swaying number you did on me."

"What?" Steve shrugged.

"What?" Danny mimicked. "Steve, you nearly fainted back there. Now what the heck is wrong?"

"I'm good, Danny. Told you it's just a little insomnia. No big deal."

"Okay let's do something about that right here and now. Come here."

"What?"

"Come over here." Danny beckoned toward himself. "And shut that off."

With a puzzled frown Steve closed his laptop lid, then stood and walked over to Danny who grabbed him by the arm to guide him over to the door.

"Danny, where are we going?" Steve asked bemused but nevertheless complied with Danny's request out of curiosity.

"Home. It's almost seven."

"Can't. I need to go down and grill Samson on his mole."

"You've agreed to let Chin and Kono get a crack at him first."

"Yeah but if they don't succeed I want a shot at him."

"You'll do it tomorrow."

"No Danny. I need to settle this tonight. I'm staying here until we get a confession even if it takes all night."

"Fine then," Danny huffed out in exasperation. "You sit there." He gently but firmly pushed Steve down on the office couch and then took a hold of his legs to swing them over to lay outstretched.

"Danny? Danny, what are you doing?" Danny silently reached for the afghan at the foot of the couch and unfurled it. "Danny?"

"You're going to take a short nap while we wait for the results of the interrogation."

"You've gotta be kidding me?!" Steve rebuked and threw the blanket aside.

"NO!" Danny said forcefully, pushing his partner down. "You stay there. If you intend to put an all-nighter with this guy, you'll need to stock up on some sleep."

"Danny, come on!" Steve peeved. "You're being ridiculous!"

Danny huffed out and sat on the edge of the couch. "Steve, look at you! You have dark circles under your eyes and you can barely keep them open. Don't think I haven't seen you yawn your head off all day. In fact you've been slacking a bit these past few days. You told me you haven't been sleeping well lately."

"Well I obviously had a lot on my mind. Must be the stress of the case."

"Uh huh. You honestly expect me to swallow that crap? McGarrett you live and breathe stress. You give other people stress."

Steve's tepid smile was quickly followed by a yawn that he desperately attempted to stifle.

"Now that our thief is safely tucked away in the holding cell being racked over hot coals, you can relax and bring the adrenalin rush down a notch or two. How long has it been since you had a restful night? Two, three weeks?"

"I don't know."

"Well you just lie there. Chin and Kono will handle Samson."

"Danny, it's my job!"

"Not this time. You can delegate the work to your must trusted cohorts? I'm sure they'll do a good job. I'll just sit here and make sure you snooze."

"I doubt that'll happen with you there watching me."

"All right then. I'll be in my office and keep an eye on you from there."

"This is ridiculous Danny, I'm fine!" Steve insisted.

Danny sprung a finger up. "What did I tell you about that? No discussion." He took the afghan and spread it over his partner. "Now get some sleep," he insisted getting a glower in return. "And don't give me that Danny-I'll-get-you-for-this face babe, 'cause it won't make me relent. Now close those baby blues or greys or whatever color they are tonight."

"Danny be serious! What if the governor walks in and finds his task force leader napping on the job?"

"Pilots have mandatory rest periods? So I'm decreeing one for leaders of task forces effective immediately. I'll deal with Denning if he should drop by."

Steve made no effort to contradict his partner and decided to humor him, knowing full well that it was a complete waste of valuable time, and that sleep would not claim him while the wheels were turning in his head.

"I won't sleep," Steve proclaimed adamantly with his arms crossed against his chest in defiance, refusing to comply.

"Okay then, just rest. Stop the machines for a bit." Again Steve glowered at him. "I tell you what: if you don't doze off in the next fifteen minutes, I'll allow you to get up. How's that?"

"Danny I'm not a child."

"Do we have a deal?" Danny insisted, getting a sheepish nod in return."Good. Now close your eyes. At least make the effort."

Surprisingly enough the sandman was quick to work his magic and soon, Steve was out like a light.

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

Half an hour later Chin and Kono returned to the Five-0 offices with their report.

"So how did it go?" Danny asked expectantly.

Kono flashed a satisfied grin. "We got Samson to confess. Your suggestion of telling him his informant was in on the fake jewels panned out."

"That was a long shot considering we had no tangible proof of a nark inside HPD."

"Well your Detective instincts paid off."

"Who was it?"

"Jane Kaio."

Danny was stunned. His eyes darted from one face to another in search of a hint that this was a joke. "The new rookie?" Both cousins nodded.

"She was having a covert affair with Samson and would give him tips on when and where the next load of merchandise would be delivered in exchange for a piece of the pie," Chin said.

"Well I'll be damned! She's the last I would have suspected. Good work, guys! So that means the case is officially closed."

"Just about. We only need to iron out a few details but the bulk of it is done," Chin explained.

"You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that. It was some humdinger but we did it!" Danny exulted. He shared a high-five with his teammates.

"Where's Steve?" Kono asked as she looked around to spot the boss.

Danny jutted his head toward the glass window behind which Steve was sleeping soundly on his office couch. "He's taking a nap."

"Is he all right?" Chin asked with concern.

"Yeah, just exhausted. He was intent on putting an all-nighter in the holding cell to get Samson to spill his guts if you two hadn't gotten the goods out of him. So I suggested a catnap. It took a lot of muscle and convincing arguments to get him to lie down but once I did, he was out like a light barely five minutes later. Incidentally I was on the phone with the Governor a few minutes ago. He obviously hadn't heard of the outcome of your interrogation but he did promise us some time off once we cracked Samson and got him to confess."

"You mean we'll be off duty?" Kono asked. She turned to Chin who wore a huge smile. "When?"

"Well seeing how you crack the nut, I assume that would be next Monday," Danny said.

"How long?"

"Four weeks. He says HPD will handle whatever comes their way during that time."

"Four weeks!" Kono exclaimed in amazement. "How did you wrangle that?"

"Didn't need to. He was more than satisfied with the work done and thought it was long overdue."

"So what you're saying is that Five-0 will be closed for a month?" Chin needed solid confirmation before rejoicing.

"Yup!"

"Does Steve know?" Kono asked.

"Not yet. I'll tell him once he wakes up. He agreed to come to New Jersey with me some time ago and I intend to put the invitation back on the table. I won't take no for an answer. Enjoy your time off. Steve and me will handle of the paperwork."

"You mean you, don't you?" Chin tease.

"You know my Neanderthal animal so well, Lieutenant Kelly," Danny ribbed back. "Now go on! It's late."

"Thanks – boss," Kono mocked before she and Chin headed toward the exit.

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

Danny was sitting behind Steve's desk shuffling through his partner's overdue paperwork when he heard a soft moan coming from the couch. He flipped the folder close, stood and walked over to his awakening friend.

He sat in a chair across from the couch and waited for Steve to open his eyes. Once they flicked open he smiled at the drawn face staring back at him. "Hey, welcome back! Sleep well?"

"What time is it?" Steve asked hoarsely.

"A little after eight."

Steve swiftly sprung into a sitting position. "What? You let me sleep that long?" he seethed and hissed against the hammering in his skull. He pinched the bridge of his nose and drew a deep breath to quell the pain.

"Obviously your body needed it. Come on now. Let's get you home."

"Can't go home now," Steve griped as he stood.

"Yes you can. Chin and Kono got Samson to confess. He'll be the Internal Affairs' problem now. Come on. Need to go before we leave?" Danny asked, motioning to the men's room."

"No. I'm good and quit coddling me!" Steve bellyached and swiped Danny's hand away. "I'm not a baby."

"Maybe not but right now you're whining like one. Besides I have something I want to discuss with you. We'll order takeouts. My treat. You provide the beers and TV. We'll put on a classic."

"I see I'm not gonna win this argument," Steve relented with a sigh of defeat.

"Right you are. Now come on you big goof."

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

Later that night at Steve's house, the two friends were sitting side by side on the lanai with a bottle of beer in hand, just shooting the breeze. It was way past eleven but neither showed the slightest hint of wanting to call it a night.

After having rehearsed his speech a thousand times in his mind, Danny finally mustered up the courage to broach the subject of the time off that Denning had graciously allotted to the members of his task force.

"Say babe, you remember the vacation we were promised last year and never took?"

"Yeah. The opportunity never rose what with all those crime sprees."

"Well now is the time. I've spoken with the governor. Denning has agreed to put Five-0 on temporary leave starting next week."

"When was that?"

"Early evening while you were catching some Zs. He's agreed that it was long overdue."

"Chin and Kono too?"

"The whole team. Duke and his men will handle the cases, if any." Danny allowed a brief pause to let Steve digest the news. "So? What do you say?"

"I could use some time off."

Needless to say that Danny was utterly surprised by Steve's reaction. Normally the SEAL would have put up an argument and at the risk of generating one, Danny decided not to tease his friend about his willingness to comply.

"How about some WE time." Steve frowned quizzically. "Rachel, Grace and me are going to my parents' in New Jersey for Spring Break. I spoke with Rachel and she agreed it was a good idea."

"What's a good idea?"

"That you join us on this trip. I don't need to ask Grace for I know she'll jump for joy at the thought of having her favorite uncle come with us. They'll be with us the first week before going back once Spring Break's over, and then it'll be just the two of us."

"Oh Danny, I don't know about that." Steve was ill-at-ease with this arrangement.

"What's the matter?"

"This is your family vacation."

"Babe, how many times do I need to say that you ARE family."

Steve fashioned a thoughtful smile. "Thanks but I don't want to impose on anyone."

"You're talking about my parents?" Steve nodded. "It was my mom's idea in fact that I bring you along. She and dad are anxious to finally meet you. She asked me not to take no for an answer." A thankful smile crept up on Steve's lips shortly followed by a cringe.

"What's that face for?"

"It's winter over there, isn't it?"

"Technically it's closer to spring."

"Well it's cold and obviously I don't have the proper clothing to bring with me."

"So we'll buy some when we get there. We can always lend you warm clothes in the meantime."

"Danny, I don't know," Steve sighed heavily. He hesitated to accept the appealing invitation.

"Can you come up with any convincing argument to make me back down from this deal?" Steve stared at Danny for the longest time without uttering a single word, his longing expression speaking louder than words. "Time's out! It's settled. You're coming with us."

Steve shrugged. "Might be fun. I'm curious to see if the grass's greener on the other side."

"Well it won't be infested with pineapples I can guarantee you that."

"They do have pineapple-ham pizzas in your neighborhood, don't they?" Steve teased.

Danny rolled in eyes and heaved out an annoyed sigh. "Sadly yes."

Steve couldn't help but smirk as he sank deeper into his chair. "Perfect!"

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

With a few too many beers down both of them, getting behind the wheel was out of the question. Instead Steve offered his partner the hospitality of the guestroom for the remainder of the night, but Danny opted for the couch instead.

He shut off the kitchen lights and headed toward the livingroom to check if his partner needed anything. The blond was already fast asleep, cocooned in a blanket with the TV set open. A warm-hearted smile danced on Steve's lips at the sight.

As he climbed up to his bedroom, a sudden dizzy spell made him lose his footing and nearly sent him tumbling down the stairs. He gripped the railing and breathed deeply to dispel the wooziness. Sensing his legs about to give out from underneath him, he sat on the step and waited for the discomfort to pass.

He brushed a hand across his face and noticed the fine gleam of sweat covering his brow and his skin felt flushed. His heart pounded out of his chest and his pulse raced. He leaned his head sideways against the wall and closed his eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

_**I ask that you imagine your friendly aunt, uncle or any relatives you dearly love in the roles of Danny's parents because that's how they'll be portrayed throughout the story.**_

On this the day of their departure, Steve was at home packing the warmest clothes he could find for his trip to New Jersey. He smiled at the thought of spending a glorious crime-free month with his best pal, and actually looked forward to meeting Danny's parents.

He however felt a tad uneasy at their offer to lodge him for the four-week period. After all this was his partner's time with his own family and although Danny oftentimes said that he belonged to the fold, he nonetheless felt like an intruder.

It was late at night when all four boarded the plane. The ten-hour red-eye flight to Newark would provide an opportunity for each to get some shuteye, particularly Steve who still struggled with constant bouts of dizziness that he would deftly conceal from Danny.

Throughout the night, Grace slept soundly by her mother's while Steve and Danny slumbered in the seats behind them.

Early the next morning, a few hours before landing, Danny gave his sleeping partner's shoulder a light shake. "Hey, Sleepy Head, time to wake up."

"What?" Steve garbled out around a think tongue with eyes still at half-mast.

"We're landing in two hours. I thought maybe you'd want some breakfast before we arrive."

"What time is it?"

"Almost ten."

"In the morning?" Steve exclaimed with eyes bulging out. He lazily sat up in his seat and rubbed off the remnants of sleep from his eyes with a stretching yawn. "Yeah, I think I could go for a light breakfast."

"I'll go get it for you."

"No it's all right. I can go," Steve said as he scooted over to Danny's seat by the aisle.

With a hand on his partner's shoulder to stop him from going any further, Danny offered, "It's okay, Rachel and I are going to get it for us and Grace. We'll bring some for you too. What would you like? Coffee and a strawberry danish?"

"You don't suppose they have malasadas?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if they did, along with a side of pineapples," Danny quipped.

"Oh that would be nice."

"Figures!" Danny rolled his eyes in disbelief and turned to Grace in front. "Monkey, why don't you keep your Uncle Steve company while your mom and I go get breakfast."

"Okay Danno." Steve slid back into his window seat, vacating Danny's aisle seat for Grace.

Rachel had been observing the scene a few feet away and when Danny stepped up to her, she expressed her concern. "Is Steve feeling okay?"

Danny cast a swift glance at Steve and replied nonchalantly. "Yeah, why?"

"Maybe it's just me but he looks a bit worn."

"Yeah. That's why I insisted on this vacation. He needs it to recharge the old batteries." With a hand on the small of her back he turned her toward the galley.

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

They landed in Newark at noontime to a warm sunny day, which was a welcome relief to both Danny and Steve since he didn't have the proper winter clothes to walk around in.

No sooner had Danny parked the car in the driveway of his parents' home that his mother rushed out of the house to greet them.

"Daniel!" she exulted as she fell into his awaiting arms and squeezed him in a motherly hug. "I'm so happy to see you. It's been so long." She pulled back and held him at arm's length. "Let me look at you. You are as handsome as ever."

"Yeah, well, what can I say? It's a curse," he gloated. He cast a sidelong glance at Steve who was seen biting his upper lip to suppress a mocking grin.

"Grandma!" Grace exclaimed with glee.

"Come here, pumpkin." Clara lifted the excited bundle in her arms and showered her with kisses. "How's my big girl doing?"

"I'm fine, Grandma. It's cold."

"Well I expect you would think so after living in sunny Hawaii all year round. But I bet you're looking forward to going skiing and making snowmen?" Grace nodded enthusiastically. "Now run along into the house and get warm. Grandpa's waiting for you by the fireplace."Grace slid down and hurried up to the front door. "Careful to wipe your booths on the doormat, sweetheart!" She then turned to her son. "She's growing like a weed."

"That she is," Danny happily agreed.

"Rachel, it's good to see you again dear. I was so thrilled when Daniel told me you two were back together. How's my grandchild doing?" she asked while patting Rachel's small belly bump.

"It's fine, Clara. He or she is in perfect health."

"You don't know the sex yet?"

"We want to be surprised," Danny said. He gazed lovingly at a glowing Rachel and both shared a tender kiss before he turned to Steve. "Mom, this is Steve."

"I'm so very happy to finally meet you, Steven. If I may call you by your first name?"

"Of course. In fact I insist."

She stepped up to him and hugged him without any reservations. "Daniel's told me so much about you I feel like I know you already."

"The feeling is mutual, Mrs. Williams."

"Please, call me Clara. Well, come on! Let's get you all inside where it's warm."

Once the two partners had unloaded the luggage out of the trunk they retired indoors. They dropped the suitcases by the door and proceeded to the living room, where the patriarch was busy peeling off the many layers of winter garments off his granddaughter.

"Need some help there, dad?" Danny opened with a light tease.

"There's my boy!" he exclaimed before turning to his wife. "Honey, you do it. Women are better at this sort of thing."

Both Clara and Rachel settled to the task of helping Grace shed her warm clothes to allow father and son to renew their bond.

"Come here, son," the tall grey-haired man invited with arms outstretched. "How's Hawaii treating you?"

"Aside from the sweltering heat and the pineapple infestation, I'm doing fairly well."

He gave two hearty claps on Danny's back and pulled back to turn to Rachel. "There's my favorite girl. Come here, you." He held her gently in his arms. "You're positively radiant. Pregnancy certainly agrees with you." He then glared at Steve. "And you must be the arrogant bastard who prised my son away from his job?"

"Eddie! That's no way to welcome Daniel's friend," his wife scolded at his rude behavior toward their guest.

"Well it's true, isn't it?" the patriarch crudely defended.

"Yes sir, I am," Steve replied smugly without flinching. "And I'm damn proud to have done it. When I first met Danny I was struck by his resilience, proficiency and might I add his obstinacy that I wanted him on my task force and I haven't the least bit regretted my decision."

"You've got a keen eye, son. He's always been a bit of a rebel. I'm darned proud of him and what he's accomplished." His father's praises made Danny blush and boosted his self-confidence. "I had hoped he'd choose to follow in my footsteps but being a detective is what he fancies and hell, he protects the lives of citizens. How can I object?"

"Yeah just my luck," Clara lamented. "One son is wanted by the law and the other upholds it, both of which are hazardous."

"Matthew is a loser, Clara."

"He's also your son," she admonished.

"I gave him every bit of consideration as I did my other children and how does he thank me?"

"Huh, dad, there are ladies present," Danny reminded his father of Grace and Rachel who were both within earshot.

"Oh yeah, sorry folks."

Steve found Edward Williams's effusive demeanor and dry humor somewhat amusing. Although he had just barely gotten acquainted with the man, he knew that behind that tough exterior lay the heart of a loving and caring father. A small wistful smile crossed Steve's lips at the thought of his own father.

"I know my son here values your leadership and holds you in the highest regards. Even considers you like his own brother, isn't that right Dan?"

"Don't give him a swell head." He glanced up at Steve who was wearing a large goofy grin. "Just look at that smug. Thanks again, dad!"

The patriarch patted Steve on the shoulder. "I think you and me are going to get along fine Mister McGarrett."

"That's Lieutenant Commander McGarrett, dad," Danny corrected.

"Danny!" Steve dismissed with a flick of the wrist. "Call me Steve."

"All right. And everyone calls me Eddie."

As his father led Steve away from the pack, Danny shook his head in disbelief and confided to his mother, "I have a bad feeling that this new alliance will spell gloom and doom for Yours Truly here. Once they start comparing notes, Danny Williams will never live it down."

Both Rachel and Clara erupted in laughter.

"Oh you two think that's funny, huh? You just wait and see."

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

The next day, Steve, Danny, Rachel and Grace hit the slopes for a fun day of skiing. While Danny's father lent Steve a warm coat, wool hat and mittens, helmet and his ski gear, Danny gave him a crash course on alpine skiing to which Steve took rather quickly. In no time flat, the former SEAL was fluidly sliding down the slopes with the best of them.

It was during their last run that Danny noticed that Steve was getting a bit restless. Concerned, he decided to follow him closely on that last descent. Halfway down, Steve suddenly took a tumble and rolled down the hill. He came to a halt a few feet down the slope, completely dazed.

"Hey Steve, you all right?" Danny asked frantically. The spectacular fall had put the fear of God into him.

"Yeah, yeah. Snow definitely does not behave like water." Steve slurred out as if in a drunken stupor and shook his head to clear the dizziness away. He held out his hand for Danny to assist him to his feet.

"You should have gone snowboarding instead. You sure you're feeling okay? Anything broken or sprained?" Danny asked, as he gave his partner a quick once-over. "That was quite a tumble you took."

"Danny, I'm good. Just a little woozy. It'll pass." Steve huffed and puffed to catch his breath.

"How's the head?"

"It's fine. I'm just a bit stunned."

"Can you make it down the rest of the way?" Danny ensured that the skis were still securely fastened to his partner's booths.

"Sure I can."

"Nice and slow now."

Danny followed very closely on Steve's heels to keep a watchful eye in case of a repeat.

They met with Rachel and Grace in front of the ski lodge.

"I think we're done for the day."

"Oh Danno, can we stay a while longer? I'm having so much fun," Grace begged.

"It's close to supper time, Monkey. Besides it's starting to get colder. We'll come again tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Rach, I'll drop you and Grace at mom and dad's. Thereafter I'm going to take Steve to the emergency room."

"Why? What's wrong?" Her eyes instantly traveled to Steve to note any sign of injury.

"Yeah Danny, what's wrong with me?" Steve humored.

"Don't you remember the fall you just took?"

"Danny, man! I've fallen before. It's no big deal!" Steve derided.

"This time humor me, babe!"

"Danny, you're being ridiculous."

"That may be so but I recall that actress who took a bad fall and ended up dead shortly after of a brain hemorrhage."

"Danny's right Steve. You'd better have it checked out just in case," Rachel agreed.

"All right," Steve conceded grudgingly as he had to set an example in front of Grace. "I say it's a complete waste of time but if it'll make you happy."

"It will. Come on, let's go."

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

Danny glanced down at his watch for the umpteenth time, wondering why the exam was taking so long.

It was some time later when the attending physician walked over to the waiting room where Danny was sitting, thumbing through a magazine.

"Detective Daniel Williams?"

Danny flipped close the dull brochure and stood. "That would be me."

The doctor beckoned to follow him out of earshot of the other people in the room. "I'm Doctor Tomlin. I tended to Commander McGarrett in the emergency room."

"Please to meet you." Danny shook the man's hand. "How is he?"

"We couldn't find anything wrong as a result from his fall. The CT scan is clean. No skull fracture or brain hemorrhage. Lucky he was wearing a helmet. You say he tumbled down the hill a good fifty feet?"

"At least."

"Reason why we want to keep him overnight for observation as a precautionary measure."

"And he agreed?" Danny was astounded that his stubborn Neanderthal could have readily complied with such request, after meeting with what Steve claimed was a puny fall.

The doctor chuckled. "Yes indeed he does have a thick skull, fortunately for him. However I had a convincing argument."

"Which is?" Danny frowned dubiously as the doctor became somewhat uneasy.

"While examining the Commander I became increasingly concerned by his pallor, drawn features and shortness of breath. I questioned him about his sleeping pattern and he told me about his struggle with insomnia in the past few weeks; that he felt unusually tired all the time with bouts of dizziness and even naps didn't correct the problem. He also mentioned having trouble catching his breath at times and gnawing pain in the joints. I noticed that his lymph nodes were a bit swollen and his upper torso was covered with bruises that he had for a few days now. So I ordered a CBC, that's a Complete Blood Count, and had the samples analyzed STAT. We double-checked the results, hence why it's taken a bit longer in there."

Danny's stance took on a stillness, as he psyched himself out for a bombshell to befall him any second. "What did you find?"


	4. Chapter 4

_**I suspect some of you have already diagnosed Steve's ailment. That's good for it means that the list of symptoms was fairly accurate.**_

_**Again I'm not a doctor. If there are inaccuracies throughout the story I apologize in advance. This is not a medical text book. I'm writing from memory and from the research I did on the web. I did speed up some events for the purpose of the story which is first and foremost a McDanno bromance.**_

Doctor Tomlin adopted his most compassionate bearing to deliver the news as painlessly as possible. "The results concur that Commander McGarrett is suffering from some form of leukemia."

The news hit Danny square in the chest and sucked the wind out of him. He swayed and staggered back.

The doctor grabbed his arm to prevent him from falling. "Hey, you okay?" he asked worriedly at the sudden ashen face that stared back at him. Danny was clearly exhibiting signs of shock. "Here, sit down." He guided him to a nearby chair where Danny buried his face in his hands. "Easy now, breathe deeply."

A few deep breaths later Danny addressed the doctor with a hunted look, "How bad?"

"We won't know until we do a bone marrow biopsy later tonight and the results usually take up to forty-eight hours to be known. Further tests will determine whether or not the disease has spread outside the blood and marrow. Once all the results are in we'll be able to outline a course of treatment."

"By that you mean chemotherapy?"

"That and bone marrow transplant."

His eyes dropped like lead with his hand instinctively going to his brows. He shook his head dejectedly and in utter denial. "No, no, no this can't be happening. I mean the man is a health freak for God's sake! He eats well, exercises regularly and he's as strong as an ox. He was a former Navy SEAL. They don't make them any tougher!" Danny argued as he attempted to make sense of Steve's plight.

"Many genetic and environmental factors can play a major part, but basically the direct cause of leukemia is still unknown."

"Look, I know this hospital is renowned for its oncology department. I'm sure you are authorities on cancer treatments and accuracy of diagnoses but with all due respect, I believe we will seek out a second opinion."

"And I highly encourage you to do so. I can refer you to hematologists and oncologists working on staff or if you prefer another establishment, we can make arrangements."

"I'll need to discuss it first with Commander McGarrett before making any sort of decision."

"Of course. With his consent we will do an MRI and spinal tap to determine the extent and thereafter, you can consult with second and third parties."

Danny sucked in a deep breath and pursed his lips to suppress the overwhelming emotion threatening to swallow him whole. "Does he know?"

"That was the convincing argument to keep him overnight. We'll do the biopsy and monitor his condition for any side effects."

"How did he take the news?"

"Honestly? It was like reading a blank page."

"Typical," Danny snorted. "Where is he now?"

"We settled him into a regular room pending any decision on both your parts."

"What happens if he doesn't want to consent?" Danny had to ask since it was Steve.

"If he doesn't then we can't force him to agree or keep him here against his will."

Danny exhaled a woeful sigh. "I'll talk to him."

"He's in room 203. When I left him he started nodding off, but that could have been a ruse to get me to leave."

"In any case I'll let him rest a bit. I need to make a phone call anyway. I'll be back shortly."

"Do you wish me to be present in the room when you discuss the options with him?"

"Not right now. I want to ease him into it first. Thereafter maybe when we have questions, as I'm sure we will."

"I understand."

A flicker of a smile danced on Danny's lips, as he looked up at the doctor and expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Doctor. I'm sorry if I reacted a bit dramatically but that man in there is like a brother to me."

"No need to apologize. I understand all too well, believe me. As I mentioned before, not all the results are in yet. It may be benign." He placed a friendly hand on Danny's sagging shoulder. "Stay positive."

Danny bit his lower lip and nodded. The grieving friend allowed himself a brief moment to regain his bearing. He then picked himself up, stood from the chair and headed toward the exit. He reached down in his pocket to retrieve his iPhone and speed-dialed his mother's number.

"Hi mom, it's me."

"Daniel!" she exclaimed with fear in her voice. "Rachel told us what happened. How is Steven?"

"The good news is that there's no fracture or bleeding in the brain, but they want to keep him here overnight just to be safe."

"That's good. They're being cautious."

"Yeah. Listen mom, I think I'll stay at the hospital tonight."

"Okay." Clara frowned at the dejected tone in his voice "Daniel, is there something you're not telling me?"

Danny swallowed hard and closed his eyes. A lone tear found its way down his cheek. "The doctor says he has some form of leukemia."

She held a hand to her mouth in shock. "Oh no! Are they sure?"

"They are doing some tests but if it turns out to be malignant – oh mom," he sniveled. He drew in a deep cleansing breath to avoid dissolving into tears.

"Daniel, honey, do you want us to come to the hospital?"

He shook his head and smiled at the offer. "Thanks but I think it's better not to have too many people about. He might not even want me hanging around. The doctor said he was like a stone wall when he told him."

"Poor dear."

"Listen mom, tell Rachel not to say anything to Grace right now. Just say that her Uncle Steve bumped his head and that the doctor wants to make sure he's all right. No need to upset her until we know for sure what we're dealing with."

"Of course, I will tell her. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm good." Danny chuckled at the irony of his words. "Listen to me, I sound just like him."

"You were bound to rub off on each other sooner or later. He's a good man, son."

"You bet he is and that's why I don't want him checking out on us so soon."

"He will need your friendship now more than ever."

"And I won't forsake him that's for sure." Danny sucked in a quivering breath and wiped his eyes dry. "I think I'll go back in now and see how he's doing."

"You take care of yourself. Call us if you need anything."

"Thanks mom."

"You keep us abreast, okay?"

"I will." Danny hung up and let out a long exhale to release the crushing pressure in his chest before heading back inside to visit with Steve.

His step faltered as he neared Steve's room. He stopped and leaned his back against the wall to collect his thoughts. Moments later he wiped his face dry of the leftover tears and stretched out his jaw to erase all traces of gloom. He pushed himself up straight and entered the room.

He peeked at the sleeping patient before he edged up the rest of the way. He hovered over the bed for a few seconds to take in Steve's appearance, after which he settled into a nearby chair and waited for his partner to wake up. His mind swarmed with a dozen speeches, each one different to address Steve's reaction to the diagnosis and the road he faced ahead. His presence at his partner's side was non-negotiable, as he intended to stick to him like burr throughout this ordeal, however benign or malignant. Together they would vanquish the enemy within.

It was some time later when Steve began to stir. Danny stood and moved over to the bed. He gripped the bed rail and waited for his partner to fully awaken.

Steve sensed a presence at his side and prised his eyes open. "Danny," he mumbled out and swallowed a dry gulp. "Guess I must have dozed off. How long?"

"About forty minutes. How are you feeling?"

"No bad, considering," Steve replied mournfully and then turned to Danny with a somber look. "You know?"

"Yeah. The doctor told me."

Steve heaved out a shuddering breath and laid his arm across his forehead, closing his eyes in despair. "This sucks, man! Hell of a way to spend a vacation. I'm sorry, Danny."

"Hum, I figured that's what you'd say," Danny sneered. "That fall was a damn blessing; otherwise this problem might have gone undetected for the longest time, whereas now you have a chance to beat it."

There was a short pause.

"I can't do this, Danny."

"I know it's scary but this hospital has the best oncology department in the country. And I'll be here for you every step of the way. We'll do this together."

"That's the worst part."

"What do you mean?"

Steve lowered his arm and inhaled deeply. "I don't want to drag you into this."

"We're partners."

"At Five-0 on the field, ridding the islands of criminals, maybe. But this is my battle."

"You're shutting me out?" Danny asked a bit offended.

"You're my friend and I don't want to put you through this."

Danny shifted his weight in anger and lowered the bed rail. "Now you listen here you Neanderthal animal. Your fight is my fight. You won't get rid of me that easily. I'm in it for the long haul. Now I can do this with or without you but as it turns out, I need you in the game in order to win. So you either tell me to leave now and never come back or clam up and bear with me. Got it?"

Steve's lips curled up at this expressed genuine solicitude. "This won't be pretty. The chemo is likely to make me awfully sick. I don't want to be a burden on you and your family."

"You're talking nonsense as usual. You're a part of this family, Steven. Families stick together through thick and thin and we've come out stronger because of our resilience to fight the enemy. I can guarantee that you won't be the only soldier on this battlefield. And I'm a bit selfish here: I don't want Grace to lose her favorite uncle and I don't want to lose a friend that's been more of a brother to me than my own sibling."

Steve's nose crinkled as he toiled to suppress the tears raring to burst. "Danny, I -"

"I know you're a mighty tough SEAL and you think you can fight this battle on your own. Hell, maybe you can but know that I'll be by your side to support you in case you sway a little." Danny ended on a tinge of humor that wrung a half-hearted smile out of his partner. "Unless you'd rather have someone else?"

"Don't be silly."

"In that case you're stuck with me. We'll wait for the results and plan whatever action to take."

Steve raised his arm and Danny clasped his hand. "Thanks, man."

"Any time. Now I'm going to get the doctor so we can discuss the next steps." Steve nodded. "I'll be right back."

Once Danny was out of the room, Steve sunk deeper into his pillow and ran both hands across his face to wipe the look of despair now chiseled into his features.

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

While waiting for the bone marrow biopsy results to return, Doctor Tomlin scheduled a lumbar puncture to determine whether or not the disease had spread into the central nervous system. Although Steve didn't openly ask, Danny sensed that his partner preferred having him in the room during the procedure that he heard might be excruciatingly painful.

As it turns out, it was one of the most unbearable tortures he'd experienced in his life. To the untrained eye Steve appeared to ride out the pain; however to Danny, the puffed-up cheeks, the teeth set and the occasional hissing and cursing underneath the breath, not to mention the crushing grip on his hand were unmistakable signs that his partner was at the throes of agony. Annoying pairs of hands clawing at him ensured that he couldn't wriggle out of this discomfort, as it was imperative that he remained still during the procedure.

Seeing as Steve registered a mild fever following the lumbar puncture, Dr. Tomlin asked that he remain an extra night at the hospital. Danny was stunned to learn that Steve had readily agreed without raising an argument. Truth be told the all mighty SEAL didn't want to face Danny's family just yet. At Steve's request Danny returned home with a promise to be back first thing in the morning.

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

Late afternoon the next day the results were in. Doctor Tomlin and two esteemed colleagues, oncologists Drs. Mateo and Granger who were both brought in upon Danny's request for a second and third opinion, entered Steve's room. To Danny sitting by the bed they appeared like three Grim Reapers coming to reap a soul. Danny stood from his chair and tried to read their faces before any word was spoken.

"Detective Williams, may we see you outside?"

Danny gulped in fearfully and cast a last look at his slumbering partner before following the three doctors outside in the hall.

"If your faces were any longer they'd hit the floor. It's bad news, isn't it?" Danny surmised from their glum expressions.


	5. Chapter 5

**_To those who asked and others who are wondering, this is NOT a death fanfic. Although my cousin did die from that disease I'm trying to make sure our darling SuperSEAL beats this. I still haven't quite figured out the ending yet but this will be an uphill battle._**

**_Thanks again for reading and your wonderful comments._**

**__****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****__**

"We all concur: Commander McGarrett is suffering from Acute Myeloid Leukemia." Shoulders slumped as the shocking news threw Danny for a loop. "But," Tomlin held a hand up to keep him from sinking deeper. "It's still in the early stages and therefore treatable."

Danny's eyes drop like lead with the anguish of the last hours whooshing out of his body. He sucked in a deep breath to regain his poise. "That's good, isn't it?" he asked with some dread that there was a flip side to this good tiding.

"Indeed. Tests show that the disease hasn't spread to the brain and nervous system. Right now he has a very good chance of beating this," Doctor Mateo explained.

Danny could no longer contain his tears. He held a hand to his eyes with his bottom lip trembling in relief. "I'm sorry. It's just all the tension of the last hours."

"No need to apologize, Detective. However he will require aggressive chemo treatments as both an in and out patient for the next few weeks. We need to eradicate the cancer before it spreads, and this type of leukemia has been known to develop quickly and can rapidly do some ravages over the course of a few weeks unless treated." Dr. Granger stressed.

"I understand."

"The length of the treatment will depend on the tolerance limit of the patient and the evolution or, hopefully, the shrinkage of the disease," Dr. Mateo continued. "Periodical tests will be conducted in order to determine whether additional measures will have to be undertaken. We are currently seeking potential bone marrow donors for a stem cell transplant."

"Will he really need that?" Danny was a bit stunned to learn that the chemotherapy wouldn't be enough to stamp out the leukemia.

"If he is to remain in remission after he's won the battle, yes," Dr. Granger spoke up. "You see while every dose of chemo drugs can be successful at destroying cancer cells, they do however cause serious damage to the healthy bone marrow cells and in turn, it depletes his immune system and makes him highly vulnerable to germs and infections."

Danny nodded his understanding. "How long will that take?"

"We must find a suitable donor for a perfect match."

"Doctors, I'm the same blood type as his. Could I be a potential donor?"

All three doctors glanced at each other. "Yes you could. We need to ensure you're the right tissue type. If you are willing we can start the tests right away."

"Yes of course. Any time you want." Danny jumped on Doctor's Tomlin offer with bubbling enthusiasm. He entertained high hopes of being declared a perfect match for his friend, thus shortening the length of waiting time for a bone marrow donor.

"As for the chemo we have an opening tomorrow afternoon," Mateo said.

"So soon?"

"The sooner the better. Depending on his reaction, that is if he holds well with no serious side effects and barring no complications, he'll be able to go home afterwards. I assume he won't be alone?"

"Oh no, he won't. They'll be four adults and a ten-year-old munchkin keeping an eye on him at all times."

"That's good. We'll let him sleep now and come back later this evening to explain the procedure to you both. Thereafter you can take him home. It might do him good to have a change of scenery even if it's only for a short spell."

"Thank you, Doctors. This will be an uphill battle I'm sure."

"If you have any questions during the treatment or if you just need to talk, you'll have our cell numbers."

Danny's half smile fell short of reaching his eyes. He nodded his appreciation to the doctors before heading back to Steve's room where he sat in a chair watching his partner sleep. SuperSEAL had gained fame and respect for his ability to conquer whatever adversary he encountered; however this time he was pitted against an invisible fiend, an enemy within that was slowly gnawing away at him, and his only weapon was a chemical that was likely to turn him into a shadow of himself.

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

Later that evening after a meal that the patient hardly touched, the two oncologists sat with both Steve and Danny to detail the chemotherapy process and the unpleasant side effects often associated with the treatment.

"We asked that you show up a couple of hours early to get blood work drawn, after which you'll have time to relax before you go to your chemo treatment. When you arrive at the infusion floor they'll have your lab results and a room ready," Dr Mateo explained before turning to his colleague Dr. Granger to continue.

"Once the vital signs are taken, therapy will begin. If you so wish, your caregiver can be present in the room. You'll have TV and Internet service so you can do some work during the infusion or just watch television. Warm blankets will be provided and you can either lie in the bed or in a recliner, whatever suits you. If you're hungry, we'll have food brought in. A nurse will…"

Danny hung on every word while Steve chose to let his mind wander to a happier place. The doctors' words soon faded into the background like muffled distorted sounds, as he focused on a warm sunny beach in Hawaii with Danny beside him ranting and raving about the sweltering heat on the pineapple-infested island. An image that actually made his lips curl up.

"Commander McGarrett, did you understand everything that's involved? Do you have any questions?" Dr. Mateo asked and frowned when he failed to receive an answer. "Commander McGarrett?" he insisted.

"What?" Steve replied dazedly.

"Are you okay?" The question prompted Danny to stare worriedly at his partner.

"Steve? Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, I'm good," he sighed. However the aloofness in his voice and faraway expression weren't lost on Danny. He reached to clasp Steve's arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Okay then. We will start your first treatment tomorrow afternoon at three. Meanwhile go home and get some rest. Again if there are any questions or qualms, please call us."

"Thank you." Danny expressed his gratitude and turned to Steve who merely flashed a half-hearted smile.

"Would you fetch my clothes for me?" Steve asked as he slowly swung his legs on the edge of the bed, cringing at the stinging pain lingering in his lower back.

"You sure you're all right?" The apathy etched on his partner's face was quite disturbing.

"Yeah."

"You don't sound like it." Danny handed Steve his clothes from the closet while he continued studying his features.

"What do you want me to say, huh? I'm sick and it's going to get worse," Steve lashed out, which took Danny aback. He merely hung his head and kept quiet.

"I'm sorry, Danny." Steve repented sorely. "I didn't mean to take it out on you. It's just - well it's beginning to sink in and I thought I could handle it fine, but when the doctors began explaining the chemotherapy treatments and what's involved I just -" His voice faltered when a choking hiccup caught down his throat. He stopped dressing and flumped down on the edge of the bed, completely prostrate.

Danny stepped up to Steve, sat beside him on the bed and wrapped a brotherly arm around his shoulders.

"Guess you could say I'm somewhere between stage one and two of the grieving process. Right now I don't know if it's denial or anger. A bit of both maybe."

"You're going to beat this," Danny said with a disarming confidence. "You're not alone and we're certainly not going to let you wallow in self-pity if that ever comes to be. Together we will conquer the enemy before it takes a firmer hold on you."

A ghost of a smile brushed against Steve's lips at his partner's unwavering solicitude. He playfully leaned into him. "Thanks."

"Come on, finish dressing up and let's go home."

Steve's heart welled up at the word 'home' which was going to be his during his aggressive chemotherapy.

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

Although sadness was seared into the depths of their souls at the news of Steve's illness, they wiped the creases off their faces and buried their dejection deep within to happily welcome the two friends home.

While grateful for the family 's caring and compassion, all this fussing was making Steve feel a bit guilty that this bombshell had to rob his partner of quality time with his family, and most particularly with Grace and Rachel.

"If there's anything you need Steven, please don't hesitate. I mean it," Clara said.

"Thank you very much. I truly appreciate it."

"Think nothing of it. As I said before we're all a big family and that includes you, dear."

She reciprocated Steve's smile before she turned to her son and leaned in to place a kiss on his temple. "Stay strong," she whispered with a mother's touch on his arm before leaving the room.

"Really, Danny, you don't need to babysit me. I'll be okay. You go on and enjoy the rest of the night with your family. I'll be fine." The slight tremor in Steve's voice was evidence to the contrary and Danny wasn't easily fooled.

"Are you trying to get rid of me already?" Danny's playful ribbing drew a strained smile from his partner.

Steve sat on the edge of the bed and buried his head in his hands. "I don't want anyone to know about this."

"Even Chin and Kono? That'll be hard seeing how you'll understandably go on sick leave for the duration of the chemotherapy. Besides you can't keep them in the dark. They're your Ohana. They care about you just as I do."

"That's just it, Danny. It's bad enough I'm putting this burden on you and your folks, I don't want them worrying about me."

"Sorry, babe. That's a friend's job. They are there for you whether you want it or not. You can't fire us and we won't tend our resignation either." He walked up to Steve to place a brotherly hand on his shoulder. "Hey, how about you get some sleep?"

"Yeah, maybe I will. Got to take a shower first and scrub off that hospital stench."

"Okay. If you should need anything during the night," he turned to the small bell on the night table, "ring the bell." Steve laughed. "It's mom's touch. She used to bring us kids one whenever we were sick."

"Thank you. I love you man."

"Same here, brother."

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

Steve handled fairly well his first chemo treatment but found that it had drained him to the point of hardly keeping his eyes open. After a quick check-up he was given the green light to return home, where he promptly crashed in his bed and slept like a log.

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

He was first to rise bright and early next morning feeling surprisingly sprightly and energetic following his long stretch of sleep. Instead of lounging in bed staring at the ceiling, he decided to dress up and head down to the kitchen to make some freshly squeezed orange juice for the household occupants.

Clara woke to a muffled sound. She pricked her ear and waited for a repeat. Suspicious, she donned her robe and slippers and with a light slouch in her step, she followed the noise to the kitchen.

"Steven!" she exclaimed through a yawn. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Believe it or not Mrs. Williams seven am is the middle of the morning for a Navy man."

"Oh, that's right. My Daniel told me about your early morning run and swim. How did he call it again?"

"Leave it to your son to come up with colorful idioms to describe my routine habits."

"Indeed he does. And what did I tell you about this Mrs. Williams stuff?"

"Sorry. It's still all new to me."

"I understand. I won't pressure you. You call me whatever you like." She cupped his chin and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.

He instinctively leaned into the motherly kiss that he ached for since his own mother was killed. He'd only known Clara Williams a few days and yet he'd come to consider her like a surrogate mother, yearning for her soft touch and warm smile that would send his heart aflutter.

"How do you like the snow so far? We had another storm last night." She turned to the window and cast an eye out at the newly fallen inches.

"It does take some getting used to but I like it. It's peaceful."

"I just bet little Gracie will be all excited to build a snowman. If you feel up to it you can join us. I'll get you some warm clothes so you won't catch cold."

"I'd like that," he said flashing his most fetching smile. "I'd also like to fix you all breakfast this morning as a way to show my gratitude for letting me stay here while I-" his voice trailed off at the thought.

There it was again, that smile that melted his heart. "You don't have to, sweetheart. We love having you here even if it's not in the best of circumstances. But I wonder, are you a good cook?" she teased.

"Danny is still alive, isn't he?" he wisecracked.

She laughed at his quick witticism."Okay. Surprise us. I'll go see if my husband's awake."

"I know Danny won't be up for another hour or so. I'll have time to prepare it."

She left him with another light kiss on the cheek before heading back to her bedroom.

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

After partaking in a family breakfast, the bunch went outside to build a huge snowman with Gracie.

Clara was lagging behind as she made sure the kitchen was in order before she went to the closet to grab her winter coat. As she put on her mittens and adjusted a knitted hat over her ears, she caught sight of her son sitting at her husband's study with his nose buried deep in his laptop.

"Daniel, aren't you joining us outside?"

"Yeah, I will in a minute."

"What are you reading that has you so absorbed?"

"I'm doing a bit of research on this Acute Myeloid Leukemia and chemotherapy so I can better recognize the symptoms and the side effects."

"You know you're not alone in this, son. We all care about your friend and we'll help him beat this."

Danny cast a look out the window at Steve, Eddie, Rachel and Grace caught in a snowball fight. "It all depends on his outlook. I get the eerie feeling that he's already giving up."

"Sure doesn't like it now."

"You don't know him like I do. He might seem cheery and look like he's having a good time, but I can read the truth in his eyes. Believe me he's not his usual annoying self and that scares the hell out of me. I always tease him about being obstinate and downright irritating, but God help me I want that guy back, mom."

"And I'm sure you will, Daniel. You remember what the doctor told you about the five stages of grief?"

"That's just it. He's not going through them like he should."

"As you said your friend's stubborn and I'm guessing he's keeping it all bottled up inside. But when the cork will pop he's going to need you." She paused to allow her son a moment of reflection. "Come, get your warm clothes on and join us outside. We're missing out on all the fun."

"Right behind you." He watched his mom's retreating back until she was no longer in sight. He turned to the window and observed the gang at play having the time of their lives. Their laugher filled his heart with warmth.

He shut off his laptop with a heavy sigh and stood from his chair to go fetch his winter coat.

_****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****_

The weekend had come and gone with Spring Break drawing to an end. Rachel had packed up to return to Hawaii with Grace before school started.

Clara set her alarm early in order to fix a light breakfast for the departing guests. The nine o'clock flight meant that the household had to be up before 5:00am to gather the last remaining items to pack before leaving for the airport.

Not being a morning person, it was all that Danny could do to keep from yawning his head off as he showered, shaved and dressed to get ready to drive Rachel and his Monkey to the airport.

When time came to leave, Grace insisted on tiptoeing into her Uncle Steve's bedroom to kiss him goodbye. The fact that his partner wasn't up at his usual O five-hundred told Danny that last night's game of twister had taken its toll on his energy level.

Steve sensed a presence nearby and the feathery kiss on his cheek prompted him to blink open his eyes. "Hey Gracie," he greeted hoarsely. It was still dark, save for the light coming from outside the bedroom. His head throbbed and his eyes refused to fully widen.

"I just wanted to kiss you goodbye."

Steve looked up at Danny with a bemused look. "Are you leaving already?"

"Yeah. We need to be at airport around seven," Danny said.

"What time is it?"

"A little after five thirty."

"Ah man, I should be up."

"No! You stay put and get some more sleep. I'm going to drop Rach and Grace off at the airport and I'll be right back. You stay in that bed and rest."

Steve elbowed himself into a sitting position and with outstretched arms, invited Grace into a hug, "Come here, Gracie. Give your Uncle Steve a hug."

"I hope you feel better. Uncle Steve."

"I will, baby. I will." He placed a kiss on top of her head and held her for the longest time before he reluctantly broke the embrace. With tears brimming in his eyes he smiled his goodbye. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too very much, Uncle Steve."

Rachel was seen poking her head inside. "Is he awake?"

"Yeah, come on in." Danny waved her in.

"Good morning, Steve. How are you?"

"I'm okay. I wish you a safe trip back." He held a hand up.

"Thank you." She clasped his hand and squeezed it. "You take care of yourself now."

"I'll try. Besides Danny is here to make sure," Steve said with a dash of humor.

And Danny to reply sincerely, "You bet I am." He turned to Rachel and gave her a light kiss on the lips. "I'll meet you in the car."

"Okay. Bye Steve."

"Bye Rachel." Once she and Grace left the room, Steve turned to Danny. "You've got a great lady there, my friend."

"Don't I know it," Danny said dreamily without peeling his eyes from the door through which she left. "I'm afraid if we give it another go we'll be at loggerheads about my job all over again, which is the main reason we broke up in the first place."

"You're still a cop. Not only that you're in a task force and she's willing to give it a try. I say she's over it and learned to accept it."

"Yeah, perhaps." He then turned his attention to his partner and frowned. "Are you sure you're feeling all right? No BS now."

Steve inhaled a deep breath and let his drooping eyelids fall shut. "I'm just tired," he mumbled drowsily.

"Well you just sleep and if you need anything, my mom is right outside."

"Thanks," Steve smiled tiredly before he slowly nodded off.

Danny walked back outside and left the door ajar.

"Is everything all right?" Clara asked as she handed him his coat.

"He doesn't look good, mom," he sightly quavered.

"Don't worry. I'll check on him while you're gone. If anything bad happens I have the doctors' phone numbers. And your father will be up soon. He can drive him to the hospital if needed. Here." She gave him a brown bag full of cookies. "A little something for the road in case you get hungry."

He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks, mom." He cast one last woeful look at the bedroom door before making his way out to the parking lot.

Clara stood by the open door and watched her son walk to his car. She wrapped her robe tightly around her body to keep warm in the cold morning air and waved goodbye.

No sooner had she closed the door that she heard a retching sound coming from Steve's bedroom. She hurried in to find him vomiting in the basin.


	6. Chapter 6

She rushed to his side to assist him in holding the vomit bowl while he emptied the content of his stomach. She rubbed a gentle hand on his back as he spitted out the last remaining speckles of vomit. She grabbed a tissue and wiped his mouth clean, after which she poured a glass of fresh water that she had brought in earlier.

"Only sips now so that you can hold it down."

Once he was finished, she gingerly eased his head onto the pillow and readjusted the bed sheets over his chest.

"I'm sorry, this may seem like I didn't enjoy your supper last night. I did. It's just that my stomach is a bit queasy."

"I know. Perhaps it's my fault. I did give you a large portion and I should have known better you'd clean up your plate despite feeling sick."

"I hate feeling this way," he bemoaned.

With a caring smile she began rubbing his arm. The motherly touch provided a lull of comfort in a sea of torment. She leaned in and gave him a peck on the forehead. She frowned at the unusual clammy, warm skin that lingered on her lips. She then reached for a facecloth that she dunked in the basin of cold water sitting on the night table. She wrung it of excess water and placed it gently on the SEAL's forehead.

He closed his eyes at the soothing sensation the cool cloth provided. She smoothed back his hair and lovingly rubbed his cheek. "You want to try to get back to sleep?"

"I'm tired of sleeping."

"I know but you look like you could use another hour or two. Take advantage of Danny's absence to catch a few more winks. When he returns you both can go outside for a walk to stretch your legs."

He smiled at her solicitude that warmed his heart and nodded. "Okay."

She placed a light kiss on his cheek and stood from the bed. He closed and eyes and let sleep claim him once more.

Her smile morphed into a concerned frown. She bit her lip and swallowed the emotional lump in her throat as tears pooled into her eyes. Danny had often spoken of his crazy, super kicking-ass SEAL friend and although his tone often bordered on aggravation and exasperation, she could sense the underlying admiration and respect he held for a dear friend; a man who wouldn't waver in diving head first into danger to save her Daniel, and for that reason she was grateful that her son had such a guardian angel at his side.

**__****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****__**

It was some time later when Danny returned from dropping off Rachel and Grace at the airport. He shed his winter attire and scanned the living room looking for Steve. Finding the room empty he headed to the kitchen where his mom was busy making an apple pie.

"Hi mom."

"Daniel! Did Rachel and Grace get off all right?"

"Yeah. Smooth take off. Where's Steve?"

"He had a rough morning so I let him sleep?"

Danny's concern spiked up a few notches at the news. "Rough? What do you mean?"

"He vomited the remnants of last night's meal and his temperature was up a bit. I went back to see him an hour later and his fever hadn't broken. It's still at one hundred."

"Did you call the doctor?"

"No I didn't. Hasn't he said that this was normal in his present condition?"

Danny reached into his pants pocket and sped-dial Dr. Granger's number. "Nevertheless I want to be sure." His anxiety grew with each ring unanswered. Finally after the seventh ring..." Doctor Granger? It's Danny Williams (...) Yeah, he vomited early this morning and his temperature is at one hundred. (...) Uh huh (...) uh huh (..). Okay, will do. Thanks doctor. Sorry for bothering you. I needed to hear you say it. What? (...) Oh that's good news," Danny's face lit up and he glanced up at his mother who wore a puzzled expression. "Okay (...) yes I will. Thank you." He pressed 'end call' on his cell and exhaled his relief.

"He said if the fever doesn't wind down in the next two hours to call him back. He gave me the results of my tests: they show that I'm a perfect match for the bone marrow."

"That is good news, son."

"He wants to see us this afternoon to assess Steve's condition and they'll schedule the transplant."

Danny flumped down on a chair and buried his head in his hands. Clara refrained from speaking and instead allowed her son a moment of silence to cleanse his body and soul of the emotional strain he'd been under.

"I'm making Steve a glass of lemon-water with a dash of sea salt just as the doctor recommended to keep his levels of hydration constant."

"Thanks mom. Here," he held out his hand to take the glass," I'll bring it to him. See if he awake. If he feels up to it I'll try to get him out of bed."

"That's a good idea. Later on if he's hungry I'll make him some broth or ginger tea to help with the nausea. Solid food in now out of the question."

She watched her overwrought son walk to the guest bedroom with a pained look of her face. Danny had forged many friendships over the years, but none such as the ethereal bond he shared with Steve; it baffled definition and reached beyond anything she had ever witnessed before. It was heartwarming and yet frightening that should the tie be severed, it would bring them both down.

**__****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****__**

Days later Steve was admitted to the hospital for a conditioning treatment prior to the stem cells transplant. This procedure of administering high doses of chemo, designed to destroy all of the remaining cancer cells and suppress the patient's immune system to lessen the chance of graft rejection, was making Steve weaker and sicker. Every fiber of Danny's being screamed in agony at the sight of Steve retching his guts out, and he wondered how a tough-as-nail guy like SuperSEAL had such trouble handling the chemotherapy. The oncologists were quick to point out that each individual reacted differently and that it was virtually impossible to predict their reaction to the treatments.

Once the patient had settled to sleep following the myeloablation, Danny momentarily stepped out of the room to unwillingly break a promise, which was to contact Chin and Kono. Their vacation drawing to an end, he and Steve were originally due back in Hawaii the next day but circumstances being what they were, they needed to remain in Jersey a while longer. The governor had extended their leave of absence and left it to Danny to inform the rest of the team.

"It's bad," Danny choked on the phone to the two cousins sitting in Chin's office at Five-0. "We're hopeful the transplant will be successful. Doc says there's a sixty-forty chance that Steve will make a full recovery, but looking at him now - guys I've never seen him so weak."

"Danny me and Kono'll catch the next red-eye out to Newark. We'll be there tomorrow. You don't have to go through this alone, brah. We're Ohana remember?" an emotional Chin stated, glancing at an equally distraught Kono who nodded her approval.

"Steve made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone but seeing how we were due back tomorrow and that Governor Denning was going to find an interim leader for Five-0 in our absence, you guys were bound to ask questions."

"I can't believe you kept us in the dark this long, Danny."

"Believe me it wasn't my decision. I promised Steve not to spread the news. Even Denning was under oath."

"We're his friends," Kono claimed with a hint of annoyance.

"That's precisely why he didn't want you to know. Heck he didn't even want me to help him through this. I fought him tooth and nail and eventually he relented."

"Five-0's officially on stand down until Monday and as you say the governor will appoint an interim leader until Steve is fit to return to active duty. I'll speak with Denning and ask that we be allowed extra time off until the unit's reactivated. We can be there to support you and Steve."

"I dread his reaction if he sees you both here. Perhaps it's better if you hold the fort while we're here."

"And how long will that take? Weeks? Months? No way, Danny. We're coming." Chin was adamant, leaving no room for rebuttal. "Sure he might be crossed with you for breaking your promise but once he learns why you did it, he'll forgive you. Steve never holds a grudge."

"That's true," Danny sighed tiredly. He knew how futile it was to attempt to sway the cousins' decision, nor did he have the energy to argue. "Okay. Send me your ETA and I'll meet you at the airport."

"Brah, you stay with Steve. WE'LL meet you at the hospital."

"Okay. It's Robert Wood Johnson Hospital. North Building, Bone Marrow Unit, fourth floor."

"Got it, You hang in there, Danny. We'll be there to help you both through this, okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks guys. I'll see you tomorrow."

Danny ended the call and heaved a shuddering sigh. He leaned his head against the head rest and closed his eyes in utter despair. A few deep cleansing breaths later, he ran a hand across his face to wipe the gloom etched in his features and stepped out of his car to head back inside.

**__****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****__**

The next day, Danny kept a bedside vigil on Steve while he slept. To prevent infections due to a complete depletion of Steve's immune system, Danny was required to wear an isolation gown with hat and mask. He dared not breathe near his friend for fear of transmitting germs and risk delaying the bone marrow transplant.

He glanced at his watch indicating that it was nearly time to meet Chin and Kono at admission. He stood on his wobbly legs, rubbed the cramps out of his sore muscles, cracked his neck to remove some stiffness and headed out the door. Outside he removed his medical apparel that he threw in the bio-hazard bin and with a heavy step, ambled down to the dispenser to pour himself a cup of black coffee. He took a sip and scanned the area for any sign of his two friends. He then moseyed on down to the waiting room and waited.

Barely fifteen minutes later, he caught sight of the two cousins in a sidelong glance. He swigged down the rest of his tepid coffee, winced at the foul taste, got up, discarded the empty cup into a trash bin and went to meet them halfway down the hallway.

"Chin! Kono! Over here!" he hailed quietly with a wave of the hand.

"Danny! My God how are you, brah?" Kono asked as she fell into Danny's arms and held him in a tight hug for the longest time.

Danny buried his face into her neck and toiled to suppress his tears that threatened to engulf him whole. He sucked in a breath and reluctantly broke the contact. "I'm okay."

It was Chin's turn at clenching Danny into a brotherly hug. "You're a damn good liar, Danny Williams. You look like you're about to drop."

A strain smile appeared on Danny's face, one that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Truth is I'm a bit tired."

"When was the last time you had a decent night sleep?"

"I don't recall."

"Well we're here now. You don't have to shoulder it all. We'll help you carry some of the weight," Chin said with a friendly tap on Danny's shoulder.

"When's the transplant scheduled?" Kono asked.

"Barring any complications, Thursday morning. We'll both go in together."

"Can we see him?"

"I guess. You'll both need to wear an isolation gown, hat and mask. He's highly at risk for infections right now."

"Of course."

"And – well he's lost a bit of weight and he's starting to lose his hair, which is a side effect to chemo as you know."

"We know. Lead the way."

After donning the medical garments and washing their hands thoroughly, the three friends padded inside the room and approached the bed to find Steve resting in a semi-sitting position. Danny insisted that they keep a safe distance from the patient to avoid the spreading of germs.

Kono held back a gasp at the sight that greeted her. "He's so pale," she observed grimly.

"Yeah. That's the scary part. But his doctors say that he's holding his own. He just needs a lot of rest and plenty of fluid but since he can't hold anything down except perhaps a bit of water, they are feeding him electrolytes in an IV solution."

A small, barely audible moan caught their attention. All eyes feel on Steve as they waited for any sign of awakening.

"Steve?" Danny coaxed softly. "Steve, can you hear me?"

"Mmmmmm Dannnnny?" Steve breathed out with eyes tightly shut.

It took all of Danny's restraint not to clasp Steve's hand. "Yeah, I'm here, babe. You have visitors."

Steve frowned at the word 'visitor'. He pried his vacuous eyes open and blinked repeatedly to dispel the fog, after which he adjusted focus on the two mask-covered faces gazing at him. "Chin? Kono?" he gulped in a dry swallow and drew in a breath. "What - what are you guys doing here?"

"Where else would we be?" Chin replied with a smidgen of insolence.

"Danny, how could you..."

"Now before you jump down my throat, know that they were bound to find out sooner or later. We were scheduled to head back to Hawaii today and now that we cancelled our trip - well it's obvious." Danny's stern expression quickly switched to a deep frown at the sudden greyish color. "Steve, you okay?"

"I'm gonna be sick."

In one stride Danny grabbed the large emesis basin and held it underneath Steve's chin just as he hurled mostly bile and water. Chin took over holding Steve into a sitting position while Danny slipped on gloves, reached for a facecloth on the table and dabbed at Steve's mouth to wipe the specks of vomit.

"Want to try some water?" Steve nodded and Danny obliged. Once finished, Chin eased his head down on the pillow. An awkward silence ensued before Steve broke the momentum.

"I didn't want you guys to see me like this," out came the pathetic whimper.

"Why ? Because it shows you're human?" Kono retorted in spite of herself, but swiftly repented upon receiving a kick-in-the-face puppy look in return. "Sorry Steve, but I am a bit miffed at you for compelling Danny to keep us in the dark."

"I admit I am too," Chin chimed in. "When will you finally get it through your thick skull that we're a family and Ohana sticks together through thick and thin, in sickness and in health."

Weak and broken, Steve couldn't hold back the tears.

Danny's heart sank at the pitiful sight and quickly suggested that they cut the visit short. "I think that's enough excitement for today. We'll let you rest, babe."

The cousins started for the door with Danny in tow when Steve choked out, "Chin, Kono..." They turned around and waited for Steve to gather his thoughts. "Thanks for being here."

"There's nowhere we'd rather be right now," Chin said fondly. "You'll get through this, Steve."

"I'll be back later," Danny said, getting a weak acknowledging nod in return.

Outside in the hallway, all three fell into a group hug.

"It's so hard to see him like this. He's always full of life," Kono cried.

Danny wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I know. It's hard for all of us but we must stay strong. If anyone can beat this it's him. It's just a little setback. Once the stem cell transplant's done, he'll gradually get better and stronger."

"I hope so, Danny."

"Say, are you guys hungry? We could go down to the cafeteria and have a bite to eat. I know hospital food's not the best but their soupe du jour is actually tasty and it goes down well in queasy stomachs."

"I'm game," Chin said and then turned to Kono.

"I'll go with you."

"Hold on a sec. I'll go advise the head nurse where we're going in case she needs to reach me."

Once the chore done, all three got on the elevator at the end of the hall and down to the cafeteria.

**__****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****__**

Days later, Steve's condition was deemed satisfactory to perform the transplant. He and Danny had been prepped for the graft and were now lying on gurneys side by side in a pre-op room.

Neither one spoke as they tensely scrutinized the room and tried to settle their nerves.

"Well, this is it." Danny broke the silence.

"Yeah," Steve heaved out before turning to Danny. "You sure you want to go through with it? There's still time to back out."

"Ask a stupid question, Steven. Wouldn't you do the same for me?"

"In a heartbeat."

"There you go. You have your answer. How many times have your saved my ass?"

Steve smiled amusedly. "I lost count."

"Granted you put me in the predicaments in the first place, but you wouldn't be crazy, badass super Neanderthal SEAL if you didn't."

"Colorfully put as always."

"All these years you've always had my six. You're a loyal friend and," he hesitated as emotions started choking him, "the best brother a guy could ever ask for. I mean it, Steven. I'm indebted to you and this is my way to give a little something back."

Steve's bottom lip quavered as his heart swelled up with fondness towards the man he too considered like the brother he never had. "Goes double for me, Danno."

"Besides Grace would never forgive me if I let her favorite Uncle die. She loves you to death."

"She's a darling. I love her dearly."

"That is why you've got to get better. My bone marrow is good stuff. It'll help you get there."

"I hope so."

"NOT hope. You WILL."

Steve flashed a grateful smile and nodded just as Doctor Granger clad in a blue surgical gown entered with two nurses in tow.

"All right gentlemen. Are you ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," Danny exhaled shudderingly.

"You understand the procedure as I explained it to you?"

They look at each other and nodded back to the doctor.

"Do you have any questions?" A silence ensued. "All right. You will both be conscious during the process. The nurses will provide heated blankets to make you comfortable and appease the chills if any. We will monitor both your conditions very closely for any drop in blood pressure. If you should experience any of the side effect symptoms we discussed earlier, please let us know so we can treat them and adjust accordingly."

"How long again does it take for the cells to engraft?" Danny asked.

"Usually two to six weeks during such time the Commander will be given a combination of anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral drugs to prevent infections until the white blood cell count reaches a satisfactory level."

"What about rejection?" Steve asked with some aversion.

"That's always a possibility but as I mentioned before we will administer you a healthy dose of anti-rejection drugs to prevent this scenario. Besides which your partner underwent all the necessary tests and came back as a perfect match. However if your blood counts do not start going up within three to four weeks of the transplant, we will then consider treating it with a second dose of stem cells."

"Steven, why are you asking those questions? We already covered that topic with the oncologists earlier." Danny was puzzled as to the reason his partner would harp on the same grim subject instead of channeling the positive.

"I just – I just needed to hear it again," Steve stuttered and closed his eyes before heaving a shuddering breath. "Now I'm ready."

"Hey, babe." Danny stretched out his arm. "Good luck."

Steve clasped Danny's hand and squeezed it. "You too."


	7. Chapter 7

_**A HUGE thank you for all of your comments, follows and favorites. I never expected this kind of reaction and I'm overwhelmed. **_

_**To the reader who asked if I would go into details during the actual procedure, I chose not to since I wasn't actually there and didn't want to lose myself into intricate descriptions. **_

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While the transplant was underway, Chin and Clara sat in the waiting room sipping coffee while Eddie Williams stood at the nurses' station desk signing forms to foot the bill for the private HEPA-filtered room for Steve and Danny during the crucial stage of the transplant.

Clara walked up to him as he put his John Hancock on the last page. He handed the documents over to the head nurse and turned to his wife that he enlaced in his arms.

"It's done. The boy won't have a care in the world about the medical bills that may not be footed by the Navy. I'll use the retirement funds I had set aside for emergencies. They say we'll need to follow a strict set of guidelines if we want to stay in the room with them, like washing hands and wearing those medical gowns. And until the threat of infections is over we'll have to wear a mask and gloves whenever we come near them."

"A small price to pay to ensure their health and our peace of mind. It's nice what you're doing for Steven."

"It's amazing Clara but I've only known that boy a short spell and I can sense he's become a part of Danny. I've never seen such devotion, respect and kinship, even between Dan and Matt."

"Daniel trusts him with his life."

"I can understand. And looking at Dan now – it's frightening how rock-solid their bond is. Steve's illness is dragging him down; he's falling apart."

She smiled and enlaced him once more, resting her head on his chest. "You're a great man Edward Williams. You may be bullheaded, obnoxious and a real pain in the neck sometimes but your priorities are in the right place."

"You wouldn't be so crazy about me if I didn't ruffle your feathers once in a while."

"Maybe," she chuckled and stole a quick kiss.

He glanced down at his watch. "What's taking them so long?"

"The doctor said it could take all day. They could have harvested Daniel's stem cells earlier but that would have meant freezing them in a solution that ultimately Steven could have been allergic to. He wanted to minimize the risks to his friend." She nudged him toward the waiting room. "Come on, let's go sit down."

**__****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****__**

Outside in the parking lot, Kono was on her iPhone with Rachel in Hawaii.

"I wish I could there for him."

"Danny knows that, Rachel. But with Grace at school and your pregnancy..."

"My doctor cleared me for travelling. And as for Grace it wouldn't hurt her grades if she missed a couple of days."

"Danny wouldn't like that. Besides there's nothing you can do here but wait. I'll keep you updated on both their conditions."

"You do that. Ask Danny to call later if he feels up to it. I'm sure Grace would love to talk to him."

"I'll tell him. You take care of yourself and that baby."

"I will. You kiss Daniel and Steve for me. Tell Steve we're all pulling for him."

"I certainly will. Bye now." Kono pressed 'end call' on her phone and released some of her grief in a heavy sigh. She sat on a bench and buried her head in her hands. She hadn't realized just how deeply Steve's illness had upset her until now. Tears brimmed over in her eyes, her chest tightened under the overwhelming pain and sorrow she felt thinking of how close she is of losing the one man, aside from her cousin, who believed in her ability to make it all the way. Steve gave her a chance to boost her confidence and prove herself worthy to wear a badge.

She couldn't lose him. None of them could. He was their fearless leader, the invincible Superman as Danny would often dub him. Steve had to fight for those who loved him dearly, most especially his soul brother Danny. She feared Danny's reaction if he were to lose Steve.

**__****_**_H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50H50_**_****__**

Later that evening, both men were settled in their private filtered room. They slept soundly in beds next to each other. Danny's parents, Kono and Chin were gathered in the sitting area, sipping coffee and watching television, careful to keep the sound low so not to awake the slumbering friends behind them.

Clara kept a watchful eye on both Steve and Danny, hoping to catch a glimpse of either one showing signs of waking up, though the doctor said that they would probably be out for most of the night following the transplant that, incidentally, went without a hitch.

In the wee hours of the morning, Kono and Chin had gone back to their hotel whereas Danny's parents remained. Clara had nodded off on the sofa while Edward kept a vigil on this his fifth cup of coffee. He swigged down the last gulp and stood to get another fill up.

As he crossed to the door to head out, he heard a muffled sound coming from one of the beds. He stopped, turned around and padded up to Danny's side. He discarded his cup in the trash basket, slipped on a pair of gloves, adjusted his mask over his mouth and leaned over his son.

"Dan?" he coaxed in a whisper. "Dan, can you hear me? It's dad."

"D- dad?" Danny slurred out.

Ed lowered the bed rail and placed his hand on Danny's shoulder. "Yeah, I'm here. How you feeling?"

"My head hurts. And my lower back is on fire," Danny hissed.

"That was to be expected. I'll get the nurse to give you something to ease the pain."

"Dad, how's Steve?"

Ed nodded toward the next bed and a groggy Danny painfully followed his gaze. "Doctor Granger said he came through the procedure with flying colors. So far no hiccups. He's resting now."

"He's okay?" Danny's voice was a mixed of fear and hope.

"For now. The doctor says we need to wait for the cells to take and start seeing a gradual return to normal blood counts. He may not be able to come home for a few weeks but as for you, you should be up and around in a few days."

"Doesn't matter. I'm not leaving here until he can come home." Danny cringed at the sudden shooting pain in his head.

"You stay put now. I'll get the nurse."

"Ed?" came the faint voice from the sitting area.

"Look who's awake?"

Without stretching her sore muscles she sprung off the couch and quickened the pace toward Danny's bed while Ed left to fetch the nurse. She put on gloves and adjusted her mask over her nose before drawing closer to her bed-ridden son.

"Daniel, how are you? Any pain?"

"Just my head and lower back. They're killing me. Dad went to get the nurse." With a hiss, he weakly craned out his neck to glimpse at Steve sleeping in the bed next to his. "I hope to God this works. He's been through enough."

"We all pray that it does."

Danny started to elbow himself up but the shooting pain in both his skull and lower back made him pause.

"What are you doing?" His mother scolded.

"I wanna – I wanna to go to him."

"He's right next to you. He's sleeping and so should you." She held his head while she fluffed up his pillow. "There you go." She eased his head down and lovingly brushed his hair back. "Want some water?"

"Uh uh – please."

She reached for the water pitcher. As she poured a glass full she realized that the water had turned a bit lukewarm. "I'll get some fresh water down the hall. I'll be right back."

He nodded. His head might have been killing him but his pain dwarfed in comparison to his concerns for Steve. Again he turned toward his partner, watching his chest rise and fall in a normal rhythm. "Danno has given you some good stuff here. Don't you dare reject it, you hear?"

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The next forty-eight hours were fairly uneventful. Steve would briefly wake during the day only to nod off shortly after making sure Danny was all right and vice-versa for Danny. Both were in and out of consciousness and barely talkative. Danny's parents, Chin and Kono would take turns keeping a vigil, relieved that their conditions were deemed satisfactory, save perhaps for Steve whose rising core temperature gave the doctors reason for concerns.

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The dawn had barely broken the next morning that Danny's eyes fluttered open to a blurred world. Once the focus was done, he flung the blankets aside and dragged his stiff legs over the edge of the mattress. The move wasn't without its pain with a groan finding its way up his throat.

He paused and breathed deeply to dispel the dizziness and rubbed his lower back hoping to appease some of the stinging sensation before he gingerly lowered himself down. He slid his feet into his slippers, donned his bathrobe, grabbed his IV pole and headed toward Steve's bed. As he sluggishly slouched over to his partner he glanced at his mother sleeping on the couch and his father hunched over in an armchair snoring lightly.

He lowered the bed rail and hovered over the drawn face hoping to see the eyelids flutter, a sign that Steve was rousing. He looked up at the heart monitor beeping a steady rhythm but flinched at the body temperature registering 99.5. He placed a hand on Steve's forehead just as the doctor entered for his first round of the day.

"Detective? What are you doing up so early?" he asked through his mask.

"I could ask you the same thing, doctor."

"I didn't leave last night. We had a patient who came down with GvHD."

"What's that?" Danny asked, his heart already hammering out of his chest in dread.

"Graft-versus-host disease. That's when a patient who underwent a stem-cell graft rejects the - " Doctor Granger held his tongue upon noticing Danny's hunted look, "- let's just say he'll be okay."

"No BS now, doc. I want to know if Steve can come down with this GH disease as well."

"In every transplant we deal with risks of rejection, especially when the donor is not a kin. However in your case, Detective you have a ninety-eight point five tissue compatibility, thus considerably decreasing the threat of a graft failure."

"He can still fall into that one point five margin." Danny may have been optimistic about Steve's chances but he was nonetheless pragmatic.

"We are giving Commander McGarrett anti-rejection and growth-factor drugs to lessen the risk of a reject and to speed up the development of his new immune system. We are also monitoring his vitals around the clock."

"What about his temperature?" Danny pointed at the heart monitor. "It's a ninety-nine point five."

"There's nothing to be concerned about," Granger assured with a light twitch.

"Are you sure?" Danny wasn't convinced.

The oncologist strained a reassuring smile and placed a gloved-hand on Danny's shoulder. "I'm sure. How's your head?"

"It's better."

"And your back?"

"Still sore."

"I'll get you something for that. Now let's get you back into that bed over there. You also need plenty of rest to get your strength back." He assisted Danny into his bed and checked his vitals. "Next time you want to check on your partner I strongly recommend you wear a mask. He's highly vulnerable to germs right now as you are. Although the air is filtered, visitors approaching this close should have protection. We need to put all the odds in his favor."

"Okay. I will."

Every so often he would risk a glance at Steve's heart monitor. His core temperature was now reading 99.6, which may not have been alarming but was nevertheless a reason for concern in his present condition. Before long Danny was out like a light.

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Later that morning, Clara was keeping a vigil by both beds, sipping coffee when surgical-clad Kono and Chin entered with bags of muffins and fruit salad cups.

"Good morning, Mrs. Williams." Chin was first to speak upon spotting the careworn mother.

"Now what did I say about that?" she chided good-naturedly.

"Sorry. Clara. How are they this morning?"

"Daniel woke up about an hour ago and went right back asleep once he knew his friend was okay. Steven hasn't stirred. The doctors are a bit concerned by his rising temperature."

"What does that mean?" Kono asked with some dread. She glanced at Chin who returned her worried frown. "He's rejecting the bone marrow?"

"He'd better not," threatened the mumbling voice from behind.

All turned to Danny who was elbowing himself into a sitting position, hissing at the pervasive tenderness in his lower back.

In one single long stride Chin was at his side. "Danny, you'd better lie back."

"Chin, I'm fine. Now what's this I hear about Steve's fever being a concern? Early this morning Doctor Granger assured me it wasn't." With Chin's help Danny slid down his bed and slouched over to Steve's, heedful to grab a mask on the table and fitted it over his nose before stepping up to his friend. He was glad that they had removed his IV line so he was able to move more freely.

"Maybe not then but it is now. It's a hundred and one and rising," Clara informed grimly.

"Ah shit!" Danny couldn't help the curse that spewed out of his mouth. He went to stand over Steve's bed and held back touching his forehead. "What did the doctor say?"

"They were here barely thirty minutes ago. They are consulting on the proper treatment to administer."

"Where's Doctor Granger now?"

"Your father is with him, discussing Steve's condition."

"I should hear this,"

At that moment Doctor Granger and Edward stepped into the room.

"Detective, you're up!"

"Yes I'm up," Danny replied icily, removing his mask to speak clearly. "Now why didn't anyone wake me when Steve's temperature started rising and don't tell me there's nothing to be concerned about." Danny's tone bordered on insolence and he did not appreciate people pussy-footing around him when his partner's system was showing signs of rejection.

Then a grating sound caught Danny's attention. It was barely audible but nevertheless it was there: rattling. He turned to Steve and glued his ear to his chest. "Why is there rattling in his lungs?"

Granger inhaled deeply and glanced at Edward standing at his side.

"Tell my son what you told me." His tone was commanding, almost threatening.

"He has a lung infection."

"What?" Danny bellowed, sending a shooting pain down his lower back. His eyes darted maniacally between his father and the doctor, searching for an explanation.

"After engraftment, patients remain at risk for potentially fatal infections due to immunosuppression, Until their bone marrow starts to recover, recipients are at risk for fever, infection, bleeding, anemia, damage to the vital organs such as the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys."

"Yes I remember the potential risks associated with the transplant, but you also assured me that you were giving him every conceivable meds to prevent just that?"

"We did but the patient himself is a germ carrier and as a result of the depletion of his auto-immune system, an infection can set in usually within two to three weeks following engraftment but in rare cases it can occur within days."

"Or is it possible I gave it to him?" There was an ominous silence. "I did come near him without wearing a mask."

"That was barely hours ago. No it's not that."

"Then - could my bone marrow have given him this infection? Could I have been a carrier?"

"You were thoroughly evaluated with a complete medical history, physical examination, and serologic testing. As I mentioned before you were a perfect match."

"Save for the one point five percent margin didn't you say? And you didn't answer my question."

"Yes, it's possible." Doctor Granger could not lie, though he could not be a hundred per cent positive without further tests.

"Oh God." Danny's frame shattered and he burst into tears. He turned to Steve once last time before running out of the room.

Clara started after him but Ed stopped her. "I'll get him."

"Daniel!" Ed shouted down the hall as he trotted after his aghast son, eventually catching up with him. He grabbed Danny's arm and turned him to face him. The sight of his son in a complete meltdown sliced through him. He took a firm hold of his shoulders and tried to shake him back to his senses.

"Dan, listen to me. LISTEN TO ME! The doctor assured me there was no sign of a rejection but during the time it takes for the stem cells to engraft, his immune system is defenseless even to viruses he might have been carrying. Don't you DARE beat yourself up over this! You gave your friend the gift of life for Pete's sake! Right now he's weak and needs time to get back in harness. There's still a good chance he'll fight this but you've GOT TO PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER! You cannot fall apart now. That man in there - he needs you. You have to be strong for him. If you give up then he will to." Ed could not help his own tears from spurting out as he attempted to sink the words into his frantic son's skull. "You keep saying that Steve's a born fighter. He'll get through this."

"He's so weak. I don't think he has any strength left in him to fight," Danny wept.

"Then you'll give it to him. We all will."

He pulled Danny into a tight hug, whispering emboldening words in his ears and held him until the tears subsided. He could feel his son's weak frame sagging against him as he cried his heart out. All the tension and worry of the last weeks were finally taking their toll.

_**Some heavy bromance is coming up in the next chapters.**_


	8. Chapter 8

Danny may have been emotionally and physically drained but he stubbornly refused to take a lie down. Instead he took a shower to wash and scrub until the skin became pink and then obsessively lather up again to make sure he was germ free.

He donned a surgical gown and cap, slipped on gloves and fitted a mask over his nose before approaching Steve's bed. He took on the gaunt appearance of his partner, his dear friend, his brother, sucking a deep shuddering breath as he heavily sunk into an armchair, hissing at the tenderness in his lower back. There he sat, transfixed with fear at the grating wheezing down Steve's throat.

Chin and Kono sat on the opposite side of the bed with their eyes shifting from Steve to Danny. Neither man budged as though they were both been held by a thin thread that the slightest movement would sever. Danny could feel Steve slipping away with every raspy sound he made. The doctors had done everything humanly possible to prevent Steve from slipping further, but it was now up to him to thwart this new assault on his already weakened body.

The pitiful sight of Danny struggling to keep awake gnawed at both cousins. Finally Chin spoke up, "Danny, really brah, you should get some sleep. You can barely keep your eyes open."

And Danny to retort, "I'll sleep when I know he's through the worst. Right now he's far from it and I don't want him to be alone."

"He's not alone, Danny. We're here. Your parents will be back shortly. We're keeping an eye on him at all times."

Danny stood and hovered over the bed. He laid his gloved hand on top of Steve's forearm, giving it a light squeeze. "I know you are, Chin. I know you are but understand that I can't close my eyes until he -" Danny lowered his head to conceal the errant tears from the two cousins. "I just can't," he choked out.

"Chin and me will go and get some coffee and a light snack," she said, hinting Chin to follow her lead. "You want some?"

"Thanks, I'm fine."

They stood and rounded the bed to Danny's side. Chin placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We'll be back."

Danny gave a weak nod without lifting his eyes off Steve. Once Kono and Chin were out of the room, he peeled off his gloves and went over to the washroom sink to scrub his hands thoroughly so that he could use his bare hands to touch his partner. He needed that close contact to convey positive vibes and energy.

No sooner had he folded his hand over Steve's that he noticed a twitch. Excited at the prospect that the patient was rousing, he leaned closer and coaxed softly, "Steve? Steve can you hear me? It's me, Danny. Look at me." His mouth broke into a wide grin at the fluttering underneath the eyelids. "Come on, look at me," he urged, squeezing Steve's hand. Finally he was rewarded with two vacuous eyes peering at him. "Hey you, welcome back," Danny choked with glee. However his elation quickly shifted gear at the hunted look in his partner's eyes. "What's the matter?"

"Breat – breathe," Steve wheezed out.

"Go easy. Breathe deeply and slowly. You have a lung infection but it will pass. Don't worry." Danny put on his best attempt at sounding encouraging, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him.

"Dy – dying?"

"Of course you're not dying. This is merely a slight setback from the transplant. The doctors have given you strong meds to help you fight this."

Steve closed his tear-filled eyes and shook his head. "Can't any – anymore."

"What are you talking about? Of course you can and you will." Danny's tone bordered on anger.

"So weaaaak." Danny ran a hand on Steve's feverish brow and smoothed out the lines of pain with a tenderest touch. "Letmeee goooo," he pleaded with his last ounce of strength, much to Danny's surprise. Looking into his vacant eyes, you could tell the cancer-stricken man had given up hope.

"NO I WILL NOT!" Danny roared while giving a hard squeeze on his partner's hand. "I will not let you give up. You hear me?" Burning tears of fury sprung to his eyes as he spat through gritted teeth, "We've come too far together to let you forfeit the fight. That's not like you to give up that easily. You're scared and that's understandable but giving up is NOT an option. Feel this?" he asked by raising their joined hands. "This is here to stay. I won't let you break it."

Steve took a ragged deep breath and pleaded, "I can't, Dannnnny. I just -"

"NO! Don't you dare utter those words around me! You just sleep and let your body heal." He pulled his mask higher before leaning closer to Steve's face and with a threatening look, "You WILL beat this! If not for you then for me, for Grace, for your Ohana. Don't let us down. I beg of you, Steve. Fight!"

Steve's lips curled into a weak smile before sleep dragged him under. Danny was an emotional mess. He broke down in tears while wringing Steve's hand with all of his might, trying to convey some of his strength.

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The next nightmarish forty-eight hours took a toll of Danny's health. He was prescribed a strong sedative to help sleep but the anguished detective conceitedly refused to take it, insisting that he needed to stay awake until his partner got through the worst. Chin, Kono and his parents offered to keep a vigil on Steve with a promise to wake him should there be the slightest change in his condition but Danny would not relent.

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To their grief, Chin and Kono had been ordered back to Hawaii by the governor. Cases were piling up and HPD could no longer handle the load. They hated to leave while Steve was still fighting for his life, but since his condition had shown some improvement over the last few hours they reluctantly packed their bags and booked a flight out early next morning. They stayed at the hospital for the remainder of the day hoping that they would get to say goodbye to Steve, but right now the odds were against his regaining consciousness sometime soon; his body struggling against the lung infection that thankfully hadn't gained ground, but still had a strong grip despite his being pumped up full of drugs.

Another hellish few hours elapsed and on this late afternoon, Danny was hunched over by Steve's bed with his head resting on the mattress next to his friend. Edward and Clara were in the sitting area, resting when suddenly two bleary eyes fluttered open. They roamed the room in search of a familiar face but none came into view. Steve felt a weight on his arm and shifted his gaze toward the hindrance. His lips shaped into a small smile at the sight of Danny's tuft of messy hair sticking out from underneath his surgical cap.

Drawing a deep breath, he cringed at the soreness in his chest. He swallowed dryly down his parched throat and licked his lips in an attempt to form the words, but to no avail. He felt drained and could hardly lift a finger, much less move his arm to rouse Sleeping Beauty.

Danny's head snapped up, his eyes blinking rapidly. He rubbed the remnant of haze out of his eyes and yawned. As he began to stretch his arms, he noticed the goofy look on his partner's face.

"Steve? You're awake!" Danny practically leaped over the patient in excitement but quickly reined in his fervor and adjusted the mask over his nose before leaning close to his friend. "Welcome back, babe! How you feeling?"

"Like – like someone drained me of all my blood," Steve croaked out, his breath itching. "How – how long was I out?"

"Nearly three days. You put the fear of God into me and I'm an atheist."

"Sorry."

Steve moistening his lips prompted Danny to pour a glass of water and dunked a straw in it.

"It's a bit tepid but it will wet that parched throat." He raised the head bed and held the straw to Steve's lips. A few sips later, the patient nodded and sank his head back into the pillow. The slightest effort made him weaker than a newborn kitten.

"Why – why does my chest hurt so?"

"You had a lung infection following the transplant, don't you remember?"

Steve searched his memory bank. "Oh yeah."

You had it rough for awhile there. It was - " Danny's choked on his words as emotions threatened to engulf him once more. He bit his quivering lip and suppressed the tears raring to spurt out. "It was hell. I thought-" he hung his head and took a deep breath to fence off the anguish of the last few hours creeping up on him. He risked a glance up at the heart monitor. His face lit up at the new number of 99.7. He pushed out the loudest sigh of relief and held his hand to his eyes brimming up with unshed tears.

"Danno?" Steve's own eyes filled up with tears at the sight of his partner's obvious distress.

Danny couldn't hold the choking sob that escaped his lips. Neither partner spoke as they both drown in their tears, Steve being too weak to hold back his own. Moments later Clara stepped up to the bed.

"Steven, sweetheart, you're awake!" she frowned with concern at the blood-shot eyes staring at her. "What's the matter?" Her attention shifted to her son. "Daniel?"

"I'm sorry," Danny sobbed, sniffing back his tears. "He's -"

"I'll get the doctor." She hurried out of the room in a tizzy just as Edward slowly rose from his sleep.

"Dan? Something wrong?" he asked concerned as he walked over to the bed, heedful to adjust the mask over his nose.

"No, dad," Danny hiccupped. "Look who's awake? And his fever broke."

"Steve! Hey, don't cry. You're through the worst. You've made it."

"Then," Steve sniffed weakly, "then why is Da – Danny crying?"

"Those are tears of joy, son." Ed smiled broadly while squeezing Danny's shoulder.

"Oh." Steve's tears swiftly turned into a soft chuckle. Soon Danny joined in the laughter.

"I hear laughter in here. It's a good sound." Doctor Granger stated happily upon entering with Clara in tow.

"Doctor, his fever broke. That means the transplant was a success, right?"

"Unfortunately it doesn't," Granger said, his reality dampening the ecstasy of joy. "Granted his body was able to fight off the bacterial infection with the aid of medication, and I'd say a great part was due to your fighting alongside him. However we're still in the first stage of the recovery process, which is waiting for the stem cells to reach your bone marrow and start producing new blood cells and that usually occurs fifteen to thirty days following infusion."

"I see." Danny was doleful once again.

"You will require regular blood work and transfusions. We'll check your blood counts every day to track your progress. How are you feeling now, Commander?"

"As I told Danny here, feels as though I don't have a drop of blood left in me."

The doctor smiled. "That's not surprising. Any aches and pains?"

"Yeah. Head is pounding and my chest hurts."

"We'll get you something to fix all that."

"So going home tomorrow is out of the question, uh?" Steve ribbed.

Granger laughed. "I'm afraid so. You'll stay in the oncology unit until your immune system recovers and that we're sure that your transplant was successful. We'll watch for side effects from chemotherapy, graft-versus-host disease, graft failure and other possible infections. If your blood counts are satisfactory, then we'll discuss your release and home care."

"Thank you, Doctor," Clara said.

"When you feel a bit better we'll start you on some high-protein fluids. We'll take it from there and proceed one step at the time."

Steve nodded and blinked heavily.

"You should get some rest now. I'll have the nurse bring you something for the pain."

"Thanks."

"Are there any questions?" All look at each other and shook their heads. "I'll be back later to check on you."

"I'll be right back." Eddie kissed his wife on the cheek before following the doctor out of the room.

"Babe, we'll let your rest now." Danny started to walk away when he felt a weak tug on his arm. "Stay?"

"We're not going anywhere, hence the family room," Danny reassured and jutted his head to the adjacent bed. "My bed's right here and my folks are sleeping in the sitting area."

"We've been right here since you returned from the transplant. My husband and I occasionally leave for an hour or two to go fetch a change of clothes, that's all," Clara added. "We're here for you, Steven. That's what family does."

There was that word again that set his heart aflutter. At the moment he wondered if his chest pains were due to his burning lungs or the unconditional love overwhelming him.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Here's a short chapter of bromance. Again thank you so much for your interest in my story.**_

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Early next morning Chin and Kono dropped by the hospital on their way to the airport hoping to say goodbye to Steve. Truth be told they expected to see the SEAL slumbering with his ever-faithful friend keeping a vigil at his bedside, but instead they were surprised to find Steve sitting in bed with Danny assisting him in eating his rice porridge.

"I hate this stuff. I'd rather have some cocoa puffs." They heard Steve whined as they entered the room.

"Perhaps for lunch. I'll ask if you can have some."

"And perhaps a side of fresh pineapples?" Steve added throwing a wink at Danny.

"Eat!" Danny threatened good-naturedly. "Don't talk! Eat! You have to keep your strength up."

"Yeah, well, this bland cement is not doing it for me."

Danny sighed in exasperation as he held a spoonful to Steve's lips. "One more."

"Danny! No more!" Steve lamented, slanting his head sideways.

"Ahhhh the sweet sound of bickering. Someone must be feeling better," Chin teased.

Steve let out a small cough as he broke into a wide grin upon seeing the cousins. "Hey guys."

Kono clasped Steve's hand. "You look good!" she observed amazingly. "How are you feeling?"

"Still a bit weak and nauseous but it's not half as bad as it was a few days ago."

"It's like night and day. Barely twenty-four hours ago you looked like a shadow of yourself and now, look at you?" Chin observed with amazement.

"I have a lot to be thankful for, especially my friends," Steve stated with an emotional lump. "I could never. -"

"Shuuuu, don't say it. We're Ohana remember?"

"The only thing you ought to be sorry about is not telling us sooner about the leukemia," Kono chided but her tone quickly softened at Steve's rueful look. "But you had your reasons and I guess we might have done the same under the circumstances."

Steve's grateful smile turned into a titter followed by a choking cough.

"What's so funny?" Chin asked, puzzled.

"You guys. With that mask over your faces. I thought you were clear to remove them?"

"Only the gown, hat and gloves. The mask is still mandatory until your immune system is back on track," Chin explained.

"I suppose I look pretty spooky myself without my hair."

"Actually you look quite handsome," Kono answered truthfully but Steve quirked an eyebrow."It's true. It just takes some getting used to."

"Now Steve you'd better eat before it turns cold," Danny urged, taking a spoonful of porridge and lifting it to his lips.

Steve crinkled his nose at the sight. "I've had enough, Danno. The smell of it makes me sick."

"All right." He put the spoon into the bowl and pushed the tray table away from the bed. "Want some tea instead?"

"No I'm good." Steve sank into his pillow and closed his eyes. The three friends allowed him a moment with his thoughts in complete silence. Then;

"We ought to get going or we'll miss our flight," Chin said before stepping up to the bed. "Steve, brah," he held his hand up. Steve clasped it weakly. "You get better, ya hear?"

"I'll make sure of that." Danny spoke before Steve got a word in.

"We hate to leave while you -"

Steve released Chin's hand and waved off his concern. "Don't be. Five-0 needs you. You mind the store while Danny and me are gone. I'm sure you'll keep that acting leader on his toes. Has Denning said who it was yet?"

"Said his name was Grover. He's part of a SWAT Team. He came highly recommended."

"That's good. You guys are in good hands then."

From the shortness of breath and heavy eyelids it was obvious to Danny that this short conversation was taxing on Steve. "Babe, you okay?"

"Yeahhhhh," Steve breathed out. "Just a bit tired. I hate feeling this way."

With a gentle hand on her boss's shoulder, Kono bid a tearful farewell. "You take care now and listen to Danny. We want to see you back in Hawaii very soon. We'll go surfing when you're better."

Steve smiled and nodded weakly. He clasped her hand and gave it a light tug. "I'd like that."

"You stay strong, brah," Chin said, bumping his fist against Steve's.

"I'll try my best."

"I'll be right back, babe." He waited for Steve to acknowledge with a nod before following the cousins out of the room.

Outside in the hall they fell into a group hug. This embrace was filled with hope as opposed to the last one which was full of gloom.

"God, can it be that he's beating this?" Kono enthused.

"He did overcome this infection but the doctor said that we still have to wait a while longer to see if transplant was a success. Right now he still tires easily and we cannot discard the threat of a relapse," Danny explained. "He came awfully close to giving up but I wouldn't let him. No matter how it hurt to see him in so much pain, God help me I wouldn't relent."

"Attaboy Danny! And I'm sure it's because of what you said that he didn't either. We hate to leave you and Steve but Denning was insistent."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'll call you every day with a progress report."

"Thanks Danny." Kono pulled him into a hug. "You take care of yourself and the boss."

"I'll do my best on both counts."

They parted ways with a wave of hands and wistful smiles. Once the cousins were out of sight, Danny returned to Steve's room and grabbed a clean mask on the table before sitting near the bed to watch Steve snooze. It wasn't long before the SEAL sensed a presence nearby and opened his eyes.

"Did I wake you?"

"No I was just resting my eyes. Are Chin and Kono gone?"

"Yeah. They hated to leave but duty calls. At least with them holding the fort, you and me don't have to rush back. I'm sure this Grover fella will do a good job. Mind you not as good as you but enough to keep Denning happy for awhile."

Steve turned on his side to face Danny, letting out a small cough as he did. Danny was quick to help steady him. "You okay?"

Steve nodded and sucked in a deep breath. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For not letting me give up."

"You wouldn't have with or without me."

"Don't be so sure. Torture at the hands of Wo Fat was a walk in the park compared to this. I tell ya I just couldn't take it anymore. I felt so sick."

"I know." Tears began pooling in Danny's eyes as he rubbed a comforting hand up and down Steve's arm. "But you're going to be fine now."

"I hope so. I really want to beat this you know."

"And we're all here to help you."

"It's nice to be with family."

Danny bit his trembling lips as emotions overwhelmed him. "That you are, brother. That you are."

"You thank Gracie for all the beautiful pictures she's drawn me," Steve said as his eyes traveled to the wall across the room where dozens of the child's drawings were plastered.

"You can tell her yourself tonight when I call her. She missed talking to you in the last few days you were sick. She'll be so happy to hear your voice again. My Monkey adores you."

"And I love her too, so much," Steve smiled and closed his eyes.

"I think it's time for you to take a little nap. Mom and dad should be here in twenty to thirty minutes. I'll drop by the house for a change of clothes and be back later. I'll talk to the doctor about getting you some cocoa puffs for lunch."

"On second thought try to sneak in a pineapple-ham pizza and a cold beer."

Danny held back a laugh. "Hum I don't think you can stomach it right now. Maybe in a few days though. Didn't you just say that you felt nauseous?" He tapped Steve on the shoulder. "You get some sleep now." Steve nodded and with a smile closed his eyes.

Danny gazed at his friend with tears streaming down his cheeks. Thinking of how close he had come to losing him made his heart ache and his stomach churn. Steve may have won a battle but the war still raged on. Although an atheist, Danny rose his eyes heavenwards and silently thanked the O Mighty One for watching over Steve.


	10. Chapter 10

In late evening once everyone had a hearty supper, save for Steve whose diet consisted of a bowl of chicken broth and some ginger tea, Danny called Rachel in Hawaii using the telephone in Steve's room so that he could thank Grace for the beautiful uplifting pictures that she had drawn him. Clara sat by them while Eddie was back home to fetch some items for the night.

"Hey, Rach! How was your doctor's appointment?"

"I'm doing fine and so is the baby."

"Has he or she kicked yet?"

"No and I'm not encouraging it either. I remember how it felt when I was carrying Grace."

"And you loved it," Danny teased.

"I did but it hurt nevertheless. How is Steve?"

Danny glanced at his partner he could see struggling to keep awake. "He's good. He wants to talk to Gracie. Is she around?"

"Yes she's in her room. Hold on."

Barely a minute later the sweet, innocent voice came on the speaker. "Danno?"

"Hey, Monkey! How are you, munchkin?"

"I'm fine, Danno. I got an A on a Math test today."

"Hey, that's wonderful! I knew you could do it," Danny cheered while watching Steve wriggling to get on his right side. Clara was quick on her feet to assist Steve into a comfortable position.

"How's Uncle Steve?"

"He's been asking to talk to you. I'll put him on." Danny wiped the phone clean with an antiseptic cloth and held it to Steve's ear and mouth.

"Gracie?" Steve spoke tiredly.

"Uncle Steve!" she enthused. "Danno says you're feeling better?"

"A little bit. I wanted to thank you for the beautiful pictures you drew for me. Danno printed them for me and they are hanging on the walls of my room. They make me smile whenever I look at them."

The little girl blushed with pride. "I'm happy you like them, Uncle Steve. I'm drawing some with seals and ships in them."

"Oh, that I want to see." Steve said through a yawn he vainly tried to stifle. "You send them to Danno and he'll bring them to me."

"Okay. I miss you, Uncle Steve."

"I miss you too, sweetheart," he said with a quavering voice and a tear in his eye. "We'll see each other soon."

"You promise?"

Steve pursed his lips and closed his eyes to suppress the tears as Grace's appeal shot right through his heart. "I promise, Gracie. Danno, grandma and grandpa are helping me get better. I hope to see you very soon." He shook his head, beckoning Danny to take the phone away as he gagged and turned a shade of green. Clara quickly grabbed the emesis basin and held it under Steve's chin just as he vomited.

Danny stepped back to allow his mom space to work at wiping Steve's mouth clean of speckles of vomit. "Gracie, baby, Uncle Steve has to rest now. You'll talk to him tomorrow okay?"

"Okay. Danno, I love you. You kiss grandma and grandpa for me okay?"

"Hold on a second." Danny brought the phone to his mother's ear while she held a glass of water to Steve's lips to help him drink. "Hi Gracie! Grandma gives you a big kiss. You be a good girl now."

"I will. You give a great, big kiss to Uncle Steve. He needs it to get better."

"I surely will, sweetheart." She nodded to Danny that she was done.

"You give the phone back to mommy." Danny asked and waited for Rachel's voice while watching his mother coddle his partner.

"Daniel? Do you know when you'll be back?"

"It won't be for quite some time, Rach. Hopefully at the start of summer?"

"If not then we will travel to Jersey to be with you. The baby is due sometime in August. I don't want you to miss the birth."

"I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Daniel. Really I do. I was a fool to let you go the first time."

"The important is that we're back together. One big happy family." The comment was as much directed at Steve as it was at Rachel, which brought a smile to the sleepy patient's face. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye" He put the phone back in the cradle and glanced up at the heart monitor before stepping up to the bed. "Steve, you okay? Want me to get the doctor?"

"No. I'm good. Just a bit tired."

"All right. You rest now. Mom and me will be right here if you need anything."

Steve gave a weak nod and mumbled a 'thanks' before drifting off.

Danny pulled his mom aside. "I don't like his blood pressure reading. It's too low. I'll go talk to Doctor Granger, see if we ought to be concerned."

"Okay. I'll stay here with him."

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For the next few days, Steve spent much of his days nodding on and off. Doctor Granger and his colleague Doctor Mateo consulted on their patient's current setback. Albeit not alarming, the steady low pressure was a reason for concern. The latest results hadn't yield any signs that the transplanted stem cells had indeed engrafted, but it was still too early to tell.

Since Steve couldn't hold anything down, Doctor Granger ordered that he'd be hooked back on an electrolyte solution to keep his level of hydration to a satisfactory level. It was touch and go for a while and given that the risk of contracting infections remained, the washing of hands and the wearing of masks were still mandatory.

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Ten, then fifteen days passed with Steve's blood count numbers remaining fairly the same. Danny was at his wits' end. He dreaded Steve having to undergo a second stem cells infusion, even though his vital signs were significantly stronger. The SEAL was permitted to take short trips down the hall with Danny at his side for physical support and to sit in the family room. The electrolyte IV solution was gradually replaced by a liquid diet with which Steve gained some weight; his hair started to grow back; his facial features were brighter; his eyes more sparkling and full of life; his cheekbone less emancipated. Overall he was slowly returning to a picture of health.

On this dreaded day Danny and his parents were all in attendance in Steve's room as they waited for Doctor Granger to return with the latest results of the blood work. The mandatory mask rule had been lifted temporarily but they still held their distance whenever they spoke with Steve.

Whereas Eddie was in the sitting in the family room reading a newspaper and Clara was at Steve's bedside, both debating over which wall Gracie's latest drawings should hang, an anxious Danny was carving a hole in the tile floor with his constant pacing.

"Danny, would you stop that pacing you are making me nauseous! For once my stomach's not queasy so please, stop," Steve griped.

"I don't understand you! Aren't you the least bit anxious about the results?"

"Of course I am but worrying about it isn't going to change the outcome."

"Daniel, come and see the beautiful drawings your daughter made for Steven," Clara asked, patting the side of the bed next to her.

"I've seen them," Danny replied curtly as his attention was focused on the door for any sign of Doctor Granger.

"Danny, come. You'll help me decide which ones will go on the wall over there," Steve motioned to the wall across from his bed.

With a heavy sigh, Danny complied. No sooner had he sat on the edge of the bed that Doctor Granger entered the room with the patient's chart.

Danny hopped down the bed and stood frozen to the spot for the dreaded prognostic. "Doctor Granger," he gulped in a breath before his next question. "So?"

The broad smile was self-explanatory. "The engraftment is a success!" A collective sigh of relief filled the room. "The donor's stem cells found their way to your bone marrow and have begun producing healthy blood cells. The white and red cell counts are gradually returning to normal."

Danny bent down, hands on knees and exhaled the longest, thickest shuddering breath before squatting down on the floor with his emotions spilling all over. His father walked up to him and squatted down to his level to wrap an arm around his shoulders.

"Oh Steven!" Clara exulted, leaning forward to kiss his forehead.

"We'd like to keep you here for the next forty-eight hours to do a battery of tests. If all results are satisfactory, then you'll be able to go home."

Steve sank his head deeper into his pillow and squished his eyes shut. His chest felt heavy and tight and his throat constricted with the emotional lump building.

Then he felt strong arms wrapped around him. He didn't have to open his eyes to know they were Danny's. "You did it, Steve! You did it!" When Danny released the hug, dewy eyes locked on to each other. No word needed be spoken.

"No, we did it! All of us, together. You and your family helped me beat this. This is our victory, not just mine. Truth is I don't know if I could have made it without all of you pushing me on and being there for me."

"And we would do it again in a heartbeat, sweetheart," Clara said while brushing her hand against Steve's cheek. "But I believe that once is enough. Now we will concentrate on getting you back on your feet."

"When will that be doctor?" Danny asked as he dried his tears with his fingers.

"The next forty-eight hours will tell. When he does go home there will be a strict routine to follow. We will instruct you on the patient's proper homecare and naturally there will be a series of regular checkups."

"Sure. Anything."

"Well, I'll leave you all to celebrate now. Try not to tire the patient though. He has to take it easy. He may have won a huge battle but he needs to be fully rested when he does go home. Wear masks only if you feel you're coming down with a cold or have a sore throat. Don't cough or sneeze in the room."

"Sure doctor. And THANK YOU for all you did." Danny was beyond grateful.

"As Commander McGarrett said, you are all responsible for this triumph. Keep that familial spirit alive, people. It's a powerful tool against any disease known to men. In some cases it doesn't always conquer the enemy, but it does give it a run for its money."

"We will."

Barely had the doctor left the room that both Danny and Clara smothered Steve with hugs and kisses. Eddie remained in the background enjoying the effusion of laughter and tears of joy.

Danny and Steve held on to each other for the longest time, prompting Clara to hint her husband out of the room to leave the two friends alone.

With a motherly hand on her son's shoulder, she said softly, "Daniel, Steven, Eddie and I will step out for a few minutes to get something to drink. We'll be back in a few."

"All right, mom," Danny hiccupped from the tears. Then he turned to Steve with a broad smile. "You've come a long way, babe."

Tears began brimming over in Steve's eyes. "Danny, God I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there for me," he sobbed, unable to hold back the tears. "I might have just given up seeing how my life had been one tragedy and heartache after the other. You and your family have been my pillar of strength throughout this ordeal. You helped me fight by pushing me on." He paused to sniff back the tears and sucked in a deep breath while Danny squeezed his hand.

"That night when I was so sick – man I was ready to throw in the towel. I swear I would have had you not been there. You kept me grounded. For the first time since my dad died I felt like I belonged," he continued to sob. "I'm sorry for being so emotional. Must be the meds."

"I say it's a double victory: Not only did you give this disease the boot, you finally got it through your head that you ARE family. Don't you EVER doubt that again, even when I rave and rant and yell at you. I love you, you crazy badass SuperSEAL."

"I love you too, you raving lunatic."

And they hugged once more.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Thank you for following this story, though the topic was rather harsh. I would never wish that disease on anyone. I wanted Steve to vanquish the demon and he did, which was not the case for my cousin who lost his battle with it and God knows he was build like an icebox (former Lieutenant in the Army). This thing can break the toughest of them all. Keep healthy and get regular check-ups! _**

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It was weeks later, in early summer, that Steve was finally released from the hospital. His caretakers had been given strict instructions on home care for the convalescent. Although his blood count levels were satisfactory and side effects were virtually non existent, Steve's doctors had nevertheless insisted that he curtail all strenuous physical activities in the short-term period.

Basking in the loving care of his surrogate family did wonders for Steve's health. The doctors were optimistic on his chances of a full recovery, though his cancer's remission meant facing tough decisions regarding his military and law enforcement careers.

One early morning Danny awoke around eight and went straight for the guest bedroom that he found slightly ajar. He rapped ever so gently on the door before poking his head in. He frowned at the empty made bed. He headed to the kitchen where he found his mother cooking breakfast.

"Where's Steve?"

"He was feeling a bit nauseous so he went out on deck to breathe in some fresh air."

"But he's all right though?" Danny was a bit concerned at the word 'nauseous'.

"Oh yes. His color's good and he drank some orange juice."

"I'll go see if he needs anything." Danny stepped onto the veranda where Steve was resting in a lounge chair with a light blanket spread over him. He looked peaceful and it was nice to see that his hair had grown back. Upon nearing the chair he noticed that Steve's eyes were shut. As he turned to head back into the house a creaking floorboard made him cringe, and ultimately woke his partner.

"Sorry."

"S'okay. I was just resting my eyes."

"Mom said you were feeling a bit nauseous."

"I did but it's all gone now. I'm actually a bit hungry."

"That's good 'cause mom's fixing us a mighty good breakfast. Mind if I sit down?"

"Of course not. I'd love some company."

Danny rounded Steve's lounge chair to sit in the one next to his. There was a short pause before Steve spoke up.

"I want to stay here, Danny," he blurted out softly.

"What do you mean?" Danny was puzzled to say the least. "Here? As in New Jersey?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah."

"Steve you do realize that it gets cold here during winters."

"Friendship and family keep you warm."

"Whoa! Now where did that come from? Since when did you become Mr. Philosopher?"

"Since my brush with death."

"You've looked death in the face countless of time, babe. Why is this any different?"

"Out on the field I can see my enemy. I can look him in the whites of the eyes. He's real, flesh and bones, whereas with cancer you're fighting an invisible foe. You can't see or touch it. It turns your world upside down in a heartbeat. It eats away at you until you are too weak to fight it."

There was a short pause as Steve's emotions overwhelmed him.

"I was so close to the edge, Danno. I wanted to throw myself into that void. It was an uphill battle that I didn't think I could win. I reached a point where I wanted it all to end, the physical and mental suffering of the past years. It had just become too heavy to bear." He then turned to Danny who was deep in thoughts. "It was you and your family that pulled me away from that cliff," he confided with teary eyes. "You were my lifeline and I'll be eternity indebted to you."

"I was merely returning the favor for all those times that you saved my ass. Besides I couldn't afford to lose you. What would I do without my Neanderthal animal to irk me and give me a reason to rant?"

Steve laughed.

"You really are serious about staying here?"

"Yeah."

"What about Five-0?"

"I was told the interim leader was doing a good job. I'm sure he can take over."

"He's not you."

"I agreed to head Five-0 for the sole purpose to hunt down the bastard who killed my father with full immunity. Now that Hesse is dead and Wo Fat's in jail, there's no reason for me to continue."

"What about protecting citizens by ridding the islands of the filth? How's that for a reason?"

"They don't need Steve McGarrett. There are other cape crusaders out there who are willing to put their lives on the line. Besides my doctor said that I'll need to take it slow from now on. Choices will have to be made regarding my military career and Five-0," Steve added woefully. "And now that you and Rachel have reconciled, I expect you'll be moving back here with Grace? I couldn't bear living in Hawaii without my brother at my side."

Steve was now openly wearing his emotions on his sleeves, and that mushy stuff somewhat disturbed Danny.

"We're not sure yet where we're going to live. It'll depend on Grace. She's made a lot of friends in Honolulu and she may want to stay there."

"Wherever you go Danny, I'll follow. Unless you don't want me tackling along? I'm Danger Magnet, remember?"

"Yeah, but I'm sure you can tone it down a bit if you don't go all ninja on me. And we're brothers, aren't we?"

They both locked eyes and clasped hands.

"You bet."

A soothing silence fell between the two men as they contemplated the scenery before them.

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Another three weeks passed with Steve's condition improving. He was now in full remission and feeling rejuvenated with a whole new lease on life. He had become an integrated part of the Williams household, partaking in every familial activities and events.

Once school was out for the summer, Rachel and Grace flew out to New Jersey for the family vacation. Rachel's due date was fast approaching and she wouldn't be allowed to travel until the baby was born.

One afternoon while Steve was doing laps in the family pool, Danny and Rachel brought Grace aside to spring the news of their upcoming nuptials, to which the little girl cheered.

"Once mom and dad are married and your little brother or sister is born we'll need to choose where we're going to live," Danny explained, glancing up at Rachel to shore up support for his next question. She nodded for him to dive right in. "We know you had to leave lots of friends behind when mom and step Stan moved to Hawaii. And now you have friends over there."

"I like Hawaii. There are beaches and it's warm all year round."

"Yes indeed."

"But I know you don't like it over there," she pouted.

"It's true that it's not my ultimate favorite place in the world but it became home for me. I had you, your mom, Uncle Steve, Uncle Chin and Aunt Kono."

"But if we stay here with grandma and grandpa, I won't see them anymore."

"Not so. We can go for visits and they can come here. But you want to know something?" Grace shook her head and Danny motioned to Steve in the pool. "Your Uncle Steve said he's willing to live here with all of us if you decide we should stay in New Jersey."

"He did?" Grace exclaimed in pleasant surprise.

"Uh uh. So you see it's your choice and no matter what you decide, we'll all be together."

Grace nervously shifted from one leg to the other. She began to chew on her lips, deliberating for the longest time. "Humm - can I think about it?"

Danny laughed. "Sure. Take all the time you want."

"Okay."

Danny enlaced Rachel in his arms as they watched their bouncy daughter join Steve in the swimming pool.

"It's amazing the progress Steve's made since I saw him last," Rachel observed.

"Yeah, it's quite a miracle when you think he was so close to giving up. I tell you Rach, I had never been so scared in all my life aside from the time Peterson kidnapped Grace. May I never live another one of those, EVER!"

She held him tighter and buried her nose in his neck. "You saved Grace and now Steve. You're my hero, Daniel Williams."

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Weeks later, early in the morning, the Williams household was quiet. All were slumbering in their rooms when Rachel sprung up in bed, clutching her stomach. A powerful contraction had hit. She managed to breathe it away but not before realizing that her water broke. The sheets were all soaked.

"Danny." She nudged his shoulder. "Danny!" she spoke a bit louder with another tug on his shoulder.

A small groan followed by a mumbled 'what is it?' was her answer.

"Sweetheart, it's time."

It took a few seconds for Danny's muddled brain to register the meaning. Once he did, he flipped over on his side, eyes wide as saucers. "What?"

"The baby is coming."

Danny flung the covers aside and leapt out of bed, dashing straight for the wardrobe to yank a pair of pants and a shirt off the hangers.

"Daniel, your clothes are laid out at the foot of the bed."

He was already jumping into his trousers and zipping them. "S'okay. I need fresh ones anyway," His heart rate was now going a hundred mile per hour. He slipped on his shirt and hurried over to Rachel's side of the bed to assist her to her feet. "Are you okay? Maybe you'd better sit down while I get the car ready."

"No I'm fine. I'll get to the livingroom while you wake everyone."

"Damn that's right! I had plain forgotten about them."

"Daniel!" she chuckled. "You've done this before. You shouldn't be nervous."

"I know, I know." He inhaled a deep breath and held it for a spell and then expelled it.

"Better?"

"A little bit." He held her by the waist and together, they ambled to the livingroom where he eased her down in a hard chair. "Maybe you'll be more comfy in the armchair."

"I'm okay here. I won't soil the fabric. It's bad enough that I wet the sheets. And it'll be easier for me to get up. Go on! Get the others."

Danny didn't waste time sounding the alarm in his parents' bedroom and Steve's. The house was in a complete tizzy. Clara offered to stay with Grace while Eddie and Steve drove with Danny and Rachel to the hospital.

Danny rode in the backseat with Rachel coaching her through her breathing while Eddie was focusing on the road. Steve would often glance back to see if his friend needed any assistance. Eddie being a former fire chief knew how to manoeuvre in morning traffic. They made it to the hospital in record time, which was a blessing considering that Rachel was dangerously close to giving birth, this being her second child. Another fifteen minutes and they might have had to deliver the baby in the car.

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While Eddie was outside updating his wife on the current situation, Steve was sitting in the waiting room fidgeting with a magazine he had no idea was it was about until a young woman came up to him and slanted her head to read the cover.

"Ladies' Home Journal."

"What?"

She jutted her head toward the periodical he held in his hands. One glance at it and his face flushed. He quickly discarded it on the table. "I'm not reading it. It's just something to keep my hands busy."

"Is this your first?" she asked casually as she sat across from him.

"What first?"

"Your wife's having a baby, isn't she?"

"Ah no. It's my friend. It's his wife who's having a baby."

"He must be one close friend for you to be as fidgety as if it were your own child being born."

"He is. He's like a brother." The word echoed against the wall of his heart, nearly choking it. Never had he felt a love so grand, save perhaps with his own father and mother.

Steve's eyes traveled over her head and he gasped. His face broke into a wide beam at the sight of Danny in surgical gear holding his newborn child.

"Excuse me." Steve stood with a heart thumping out of his chest as he walked over to Danny.

"Where's my dad?" Danny asked, looking around to spot his father.

"He stepped outside to call your mom." Steve then sucked in a deep breath and risked a peek at the mummified sleeping bundle cradled in his partner's arms.

With a glowing grin plastered on his face, Danny proudly introduced his baby boy to his soul brother. "Steve, babe, meet Charles Steven Williams." He looked up and their eyes met in a mutual love and deep friendship. "You want to hold your Godson?"

Steve swallowed hard before holding out his arms for Danny to place the sleeping bundle in his arms. Tears began streaming down his cheeks at the thought of coming so close to not witnessing this glorious blessed event. He had been given a second lease on life and he embraced the change occurring within him.

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Later on when Grace was allowed to visit with her parents and baby brother, she made the decision to return to Hawaii where her Danno and Uncle Steve could go back to being partners at Five-0 with aunt Kono and Uncle Chin, though Steve would do mostly desk work until he was clear for the more heavy-duty labour.

She felt it was what Steve and Danny wanted. After all, Hawaii is where they met and forged a brotherly bond that transcended beyond time and space and the sacrifice of one's life for the sake of the other.

**THE END**


End file.
